Singh and Yang make the cut at The Masters

India's Jeev Milkha Singh hopes his successful run at the Masters Tournament will lift the sporting gloom in his native country following a dismal campaign by its cricket team in the World Cup.

The Asian Tour number one ensured a memorable Masters debut when he easily made the halfway cut with a three-over-par 75 in a tough second round. With a two-day score of 147, Singh ended the second round in tied 15th place, just five shots behind co-leaders Brett Wetterich and Tim Clark.

Singh endured a frustrating day on the treacherous greens at Augusta National, three-putting for bogeys on four occasions but a superb birdie on the 18th hole and a par save on 17 saw him walk off the course with a big smile on his face.

Singh's impressive run also ensured he was three-for-three in the Majors after playing in all four rounds of the US Open in 2002 and last season. Asia was celebrating as another debutant Yang Yong-eun of Korea carded a 74 for a five-over total to move into a share of 27th place while Choi Kyung-ju was tied 33rd after a second straight 75..

"I'm enjoying every bit of it," said Singh, the first Indian to play at the Masters. "In between, you don't enjoy it when you make those three putts and balls roll off the green but it's part of learning and I've got to stay patient.

"It's a great feeling as it's my first time coming out to the Masters. Obviously I was very nervous but I think I've handled myself well and making the cut, half the battle is over. I've got two more days to see what I can do."

The 35-year-old, who won four times last year and claimed the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit in a dream season, endured a chilly start to the round and struggled to find his rhythm on the greens.

He turned in 37 with three bogeys against two birdies but with a cold putter, he dropped further shots on the 10th, 14th and 16th with three putts. A huge par save on 17 from 12 feet and a 10-foot birdie conversion on the last hole after a pin-point nine iron approach salvaged his day.

"Birdieing the last hole leaves a better taste in my mouth. I didn't have the speed on the greens today, sometimes I hit it too hard and sometimes I left them short. I guess I have to work on my putting.

"I was result orientated on the back nine and kept looking up at my shots. On the last hole I said let's stick to my routine at least for one hole and I was glad to set up that birdie.

"The par save on 17 was big. I wasn't going for the flag but I underclubbed it. I thought I was dead in the bunker but I made a big putt there and then made a big putt on 18 too," said Singh.

He hopes that his successful run at the Masters, the year's first Major, will bring back some cheer to Indian sporting fans who have been disappointed with the cricket team's early exit at the World Cup. Singh also hopes his performance will further inspire India's other golfing stalwarts to shoot for the stars.

"I'm not too happy with India's exit in the World Cup but that's sport. I hope this will be good for golf in India," he said.

"It's good that I have made the cut. There are a lot of good guys coming out from India and hopefully when they see this they will be encouraged and say if 'Jeev can do it, why not us'," said Singh.

Yang, famed for beating Tiger Woods in the HSBC Champions in Shanghai last November, bounced back from a poor mid-round where he dropped four shots over six holes to ensure his place in the last two rounds. He birdied the 13th, 14th and 18th and dropped another shot on 17.

"This feels good, knowing that I'm in the weekend rounds. Hopefully I can shoot under par in the remaining two rounds and have a good finish at the Masters," said Yang.

"The greens were faster today. It was a lot colder as well and my ball wasn't going as far as I wanted to. It was a tough day.

"I didn't play well in the middle of my round and dropped a second double bogey on the 10th again. I told myself that there were a lot of holes left and to take it slowly as there were birdie opportunities. I think that mentality helped."

April 6, 2007

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