Kapur zooms to second after Rd2 in Stockholm

Stockholm: Indian golfer Shiv Kapur turned in a sparkling six-under 66 and moved up to the second spot after the halfway stage of the European Tour`s Nordea Masters.

Kapur, still looking for that elusive win on the European Tour after six years, equalled the course record which was broken the same evening. Starting on the 10th, Kapur began with a hat-trick of birdies, from the 11th, holed from 20 feet. After the birdies on 11th, 12th and 13th, he added one more on the 15th.Kapur dropped a bogey on 17th and turned in three-under. On the front nine he had four birdies on first, fifth, seventh and ninth, while he lost a shot on eighth. "Yesterday I just went out in tough conditions in the wind and rain and grinded a score of 70 and I was pretty happy with it. Today I decided to take a bit of the same strategy, play conservatively. This is not a golf course where you can attack a lot of flags or take on a lot of drives," said Kapur. "I just tried to play smart shots. When you are putting well, that strategy pays off. All in all I played well, but I dropped a shot on eighth. That happens. I will be happy if I can replicate this form," he added. Jeev Milkha Singh (71) also moved up from 16th to 11th with a round that had three birdies and two bogeys on eighth and ninth. He is now three-under for two days. The third Indian in the field SSP Chowrasia (72) missed the cut. Local man 29-year-old Noren (66) took a three shot halfway lead. After Noren set the Bro Hof Slott course record of 66 and Kapur matched it an hour later.The record was broken the same evening as Korean Jin Jeong birdied three of his last four for a seven-under 65. Overnight co-leader Jaco Van Zyl (71) was tied third with American Bubba Watson (67) and another co-overnight leader amateur Robert Karlsson (70) was fifth new course record holder Jin Jeong (65). Also tied at fifth was better-known pro Robert Karlsson (70) and Anthony Wall (70). PTI