Chonburi, 17 Feb: Indian golfer Manu Gandas matched the six birdies in the first round with another six in the second to ensure his first cut in his DP World Tour career as a full member.
Gandas, who missed the cut in Ras Al Khaimah and Singapore, added 69 to his first round 71 and at 4-under he was tied 42nd.
Rafa Cabrera Bello will take a two-stroke lead into the weekend at the Thailand Classic after carding a second round seven under par 65.
The Spaniard, whose last victory came in 2021 at the acciona Open de España, carded seven birdies on his final 10 holes to move two strokes clear of Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti at Amata Spring Country Club.
Among those sharing third on 10 under are Japan’s Kazuki Higa, who carded the low round of the day, an eight under par 64, and 2018 Ryder Cup player Thorbjørn Olesen.
Gandas who started early from the first tee birdied the first and second and added a third on seventh. A double bogey on the eighth set him back but a birdie on the ninth saw him turn in 2-under.
On the back nine, back to back birdies on 11th and 12th helped him despite a bogey on 13th. He parred the last five.
The 2016 Ryder Cup player, Cabrera-Bello, started his day with birdies on the 11th and 12th holes, but undid his work after finding the water at the island green par three 17th hole, carding a double bogey.
He recovered immediately with three consecutive birdies and then made four in a row from the fifth hole as he signed for a 13 under par total.
Zanotti, who won his last DP World Tour title in South East Asia at the 2017 Maybank Championship, carded a five under par round of 65 to move to 11 under, one stroke clear of six golfers. (PTI)