Rashid powers ahead with a 66 in round two of Chittagong Open

Indian golfer Rashid Khan powered ahead by two shots after firing a sizzling six-under-66 in the second round of the Chittagong Open here Thursday. Two-time Asian Tour winner Rashid, the overnight joint leader, took the sole lead at the Bhatiary Golf & Country Club after moving to 13-under-131 at the Rs 40 lakh event.

Indian teenager Kshitij Naveed Kaul too carded a 66 and as a result moved into second place at 11-under-133. Md Sajib Ali continued to be the highest-placed Bangladeshi golfer for the second day in succession. Sajib gained one spot courtesy a 69 to be tied fourth at eight-under-136 at the halfway stage.

Rashid (65-66), who began the day one shot in front along with co-leader Yashas Chandra, didn't have the best of starts as he stumbled with a bogey on the 13th after an early birdie on the 11th. However, he drained a 25-footer for birdie on the 14th to make amends. A good recovery from the trees for par on the 16th seemed to lift the 28-year-old's confidence as he went on to collect birdies in quick succession on the 18th, second and fourth.

Rashid landed his tee shot within a couple of feet of the cup on the second and followed that up with a terrific third shot from 100 yards out on the fourth that stopped a foot from the hole. Rashid, playing at BGCC for the first time, closed the round on a high, making birdies on the eighth and ninth, converting a 20-footer from off the green on the latter.

India's Honey Baisoya produced a second straight 67 to be placed third at 10-under-134. Sajib Ali (69) shared fourth place with Indians Shamim Khan (68) and Mukesh Kumar (69) at eight-under-136.

Round one joint leader Yashas Chandra of India slipped to tied seventh at seven-under-137 after a round of 72. Sri Lankan Anura Rohana, who struck a hole-in-one on the second during his round of 65, also took a share of seventh place along with India's Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (68).

Defending champion N Thangaraja of Sri Lanka was in tied 22nd at three-under-141 while Md Zamal Hossain Mollah, one of Bangladesh's top golfers, was tied 40th at one-over-145. The cut went at two-over-146. Fifty-five professionals made the cut.

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