HYOGO (JAPAN), Apr 15: India’s Rahil Gangjee gave away a double bogey on the very last hole of his second round to miss the midway cut at the Kansai Open Golf Championship here on Friday.
The lone Indian on the Japan Tour had rounds of 70 and 74 and at two-over 144 he missed the cut, which fell at one-under.
In the second round Gangjee, starting from the 10th, birdied the 16th to go two-under for the tournament.
But a double bogey on 18th meant he fell back to even par. He needed at least one birdie to have a chance to make the cut. Instead it was a double bogey on Par-4 fifth, his 14th hole, and he went two-over.
With the cut likely at one-under, he needed three birdies in the last four holes. He parred all four and missed the cut.
Unheralded amateur golfer Taiga Semikawa stole the limelight on the second day by grabbing the lead at the halfway stage.
The 21-year-old, playing on a sponsor’s invite, shot a four-under 67 at the Yomiuri Country Club to reach the 36-hole mark on 11-under 131 and lead by one stroke.
Rikuya Hoshino kept himself in the hunt for a successful title defence bid with a 67 to sit in a three-way tie for second spot with Naoyuki Kataoka and Kazuki Higa. Kataoka carded a 68 while Higa signed for a 67.
Australia’s Anthony Quayle remained the best-placed international finisher after adding a 71 to his opening 66 to be tied for 15th spot on 137, one ahead of South Korea’s Younghan Song, while American Han Lee, Korean Sanghee Lee and Australian Andrew Evans sit joint 25th on 139. (PTI)
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