Golf: Impressive showing sees Drysdale lead way in India

SCOTLAND'S David Drysdale topped the leaderboard at the Avantha Masters in New Delhi, India, on nine under par after the Berwickshire golfer added a second-round 67 to his 68.

Kwanchai Tannin of Thailand's 68 saw him set the early clubhouse mark but Englishman Barry Lane and Australia's Andrew Dodt, as well as Drysdale, were well placed to overhaul the golfer after enjoying profitable starts to the second round.

Kwanchai birdied his opening hole at DLF Golf and Country Club – the tenth – and picked up another at the 17th before carding three more over the front nine against a solitary bogey at the fifth to move to eight-under at the halfway mark with a second consecutive four-under-par effort.

But he trailed Dodt by two shots with the Australian five-under for the day through 12 holes to head the leaderboard on ten under par. Veteran Englishman Lane was a stroke further back on nine-under, also through 12. After parring his opening two holes, Dodt birdied four of the next seven to reach the turn in 32 and although a dropped shot at the tenth checked his progress, he bounced back, picking up consecutive strokes at the 11th and 12th.

Lane, who opened with a 67, made steady progress with three birdies over his opening nine holes before another at the first saw him keep up the pressure on Dodt.

Overnight leader Marcel Siem, who fired a blistering 64 yesterday, was among those yet to start their second rounds while Indian Rahil Gangjee had climbed to seven-under after collecting two shots in his opening seven holes.

Other Scots in the field include Peter Whiteford, who was sitting on three under, Steven O' Hara (three under) and Ritchie Ramsay (two under).