Gavin misses halfway cut at Mauritius Open

PETALING JAYA: Golfer Gavin Kyle Green has paid the price for his poor start at the Mauritius Open.

The 23-year-old missed the cut despite an improved second-round display yesterday – carding a one-under 70 to finish joint 96th with a two-over 144 total at the Heritage Golf Club. The cut off point was one-under 141.

The Asian Tour Order of Merit leader began the day needing at least a round five-under to advance to the weekend.

Teeing off from the 10th hole, Gavin started promisingly – trading three birdies with a bogey in the first six holes. He made the turn at two-under.

But all his efforts were undone when he bogeyed the first two holes on the front nine, before dropping another shot on the fifth.

The Taiwan Masters champion managed to close with birdies on the seventh and ninth holes, but it was in vain.

This is only the third time that he has missed the cut in 16 Asian Tour starts this season.

This failure could prove costly because one of Gavin’s closest pursuers for the Asian No. 1 – India’s S.S.P Chawrasia, at No. 4 in the money list – will look to pile on the pressure by finishing strongly tomorrow.

Chawrasia entered the weekend tied for 13th at six-under 136.

India’s Arjun Atwal continued to lead the Mauritius Open after posting a 70 for a 10-under 132 total to end the day one shot ahead of South Africans Dylan Frittelli and Louis De Jager and England’s Laurie Canter.

In Xiamen, China, Nicholas Fung can count himself lucky to be playing over the weekend at the Asian Golf Championship.

The Queen’s Cup champion followed up a poor opening 75 with a dismal four-over 76. Yet his seven-over 151 total was good enough for him to be joint 39th – five shots above the cutoff mark.

Nicholas is 13 shots behind leader Xiao Bowen of China.