'Crucial putts' help Bhullar tie for second at halfway stage of Asian Tour in Morocco

Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind) is tied second on eight under par after round two of the $2 million International Series – Morocco on the Asian Tour.

Bhullar, 36 years, and a Dubai Golden VISA Awardee opened up with a first-round 70 and followed it up in round two with a five-under par 68, over the par 73 courses, 7,596 yards layout.

He had six birdies and just one dropped shot on hole 10 and hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation.

“I hit the ball well today and holed few crucial putts,” Bhullar said the round.

“I like the layout of this course. It suits my game. I am familiar with it and played here two years ago.”

Leading the field by one shot is John Catlin (US) with rounds of 66 and 71. Five players are just one shot behind – including Bhullar.

Catlin, 33, is the current leader of the Asian Tour Order of Merit – and has 13 professional victories in his career – including the 2020 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open on the DP World Tour.

He is fresh from his debut in the LIV Golf League: he finished joint 24th in LIV Golf Houston, tied for seventh in their Nashville event and will head to the next stop Valderrama next week.

Catlin said: “It was okay, I just would have liked to have been a little bit sharper,

“It just felt a little bit off, but I was able to hang in there well, and you know I still posted a decent number and stayed on top of that leaderboard. That was important to me coming down that last. I was like, ‘I want to make a four on 18 and be in that final group.”

Dubai-born Rayhan Thomas (Ind) shot a second-round 73 on four under par after two rounds in tied 15th place.

After his opening round of 69, Thomas, who has only been professional for just over one month, opened up nicely with a birdie on hole five and with eight pars was out in 35. A further birdie followed on hole 12 before a bogey–double run on holes 14 and 15 was countered with a birdie on hole 17 to finish level for the day.

The cut fell at level par with 69 players progressing to the weekend.

The third round takes place today (Saturday) with play in three balls with the leaders out last at 10.30 am local (Morocco) time.

This week’s event is the eighth of the season on the Asian Tour and the third of 10 stops on The International Series.

Round Two Leading Scores

(Par 73, 7,596 Yards)

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