Crans-Montana, Sep 5 (IANS) Shubhankar Sharma dropped three bogeys over the last six holes but still managed to stay in the Top-10 at the halfway stage of the European Masters. The 30-year-old Sharma, a two-time winner on the DP World Tour, recorded three birdies on either side of the Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club and four bogeys, three of which came on the back nine. He carded a 2-under 68.
Along with his first-round 6-under 64, he is now 8-under and tied for eighth with two more rounds to go. India’s other player in the event, Yuvraj Sandhu, shot a superb 5-under 65, a 12-shot improvement on his first-round 77. But he still missed the cut. For Sharma, every week will be crucial as he tries to climb from 179th to inside the Top-100 to earn a card for 2027.
South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence produced a stellar second round of 63, moving two strokes clear of the field. The defending champion, who began the day one shot off the pace, delivered a flawless display at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club, carding seven birdies to reach 13 under par after 36 holes.
Lawrence, having opened his round on the tenth tee, required some early patience, waiting until the par three 13th for his first birdie of the day. He then found his groove, and the gain at the 16th sparked a run of six consecutive birdies around the turn, moving the 29-year-old ahead of his challengers and reaffirming his dominance in the mountains.
A par save on the fifth, where he holed his fourth shot from the bunker after a failed attempt with the putter, kept the momentum going, and the five-time DP World Tour winner finished with a string of pars to post a clean card.
Lawrence now heads into the weekend in a strong position to claim a third title, having prevailed by two strokes last year to add to his 2022 success and become a two-time champion in Crans-Montana.
Nacho Elvira matched his best round in more than three years, carding a 62 to sit two shots back and in a tie for second with Germany’s Jeremy Paul.
Keita Nakajima went bogey-free to sign for a 63 and take outright fourth, while Rafa Cabrera Bello, who has used clubs previously belonging to Adam Scott this week as a result of his set not arriving in Crans-Montana, sits in a share of fifth with China’s Ashun Wu and England’s Paul Casey.
–IANS
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