Kochhar lies 10th at NZ Open golf

Millbrook (New Zealand), Feb 27 (PTI) Indian golfer Karandeep Kochhar shot a second straight 67 to be inside the Top-10 at the New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort here on Friday.

The other Indian in the fray, Shiv Kapur (77-69) missed the cut.

Asian Tour stars Travis Smyth and Wade Ormsby from Australia are in prime position to mount a serious challenge for the New Zealand Open.

Smyth carded a brilliant eight-under-par 63 on Friday and Ormsby a 65 on the Remarkables Course at Millbrook Resort to finish the second round one behind the leader -- New Zealand amateur Yuki Miya.

Kochhar carded four birdies and an eagle against two bogeys in his second round of 67. In his first round, he had five birdies against one bogey.

Miya shot a 67 on the Coronets and leads on 12-under in the second event of the season on the Asian Tour, which is jointly-sanctioned with the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour.

Smyth, whose 63 is the lowest round of the week, and Ormsby are tied with New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier, who returned a 68.

A handful of groups will finish their second rounds Saturday morning. PTI Corr PDS PDS PDS