Shubhankar slips to T-71st

Jeju Island (S Korea), Oct 19

Shubhankar Sharma started with a birdie on the tenth hole but failed to maintain the momentum and slipped to tied-71st place at the halfway stage of the CJ Cup @Nine Briges.

Sharma ended the second day at a 3-over 75 for a two-day total of a 5-over 149. With no cut being applied in the limited field event, Sharma stayed on for the weekend with a chance to improve his score and position. He birdied the first, but bogeyed the 11th, 12th and 16th. On the second nine, he bogeyed the first, birdied the eighth and closed with a bogey on the ninth.

Brooks Koepka gave himself a chance to become the world No. 1 as he shot a 7-under par 65 to move within one shot of the lead. Koepka will move to the top of world rankings on Monday if he wins the tournament, as long as former world No. 1 Justin Thomas, the defending champion here, does not finish any better than second.

Thomas matched Koepka’s eagle on the last, but that was only for a 70 and he is tied for 22nd place at 1-under. Koepka made an eagle on his closing hole to finish at an 8-under 136 after two rounds. He is just one shot behind Scott Piercy, who was bogey-free in matching Koepka’s 65. Overnight leader Chez Reavie added a 70 to his opening-round 68 to sit at the third place at 138, three shots behind Piercy. — PTI

Aditi tied-30th 

Shanghai: Aditi Ashok played a rollercoaster round to end the day with a 1-over 73 that saw her slip from tied-22 to tied-30 in the Buick LPGA event. Aditi, who shot a 71 in the first round, is now even par for 36 holes. The leader is Sei Young Kim (67-67) at 10-under, while Ariya Jutanugarn (66-69) is 9-under and shares the second place with Danielle Kang (67-68).

Sharmila tied-56th

Florida: Sharmila Nicollet, who was 4-under for 36 holes and lying tied-5th at the second stage of the LPGA Qualifying School, finished the last two rounds with a 77-74, failing to make the final stage of the qualifying series. Sharmila finished at a 3-over 291 and tied-56 after being tied-5th at the halfway stage and tied-43rd after the third round.