Russell well placed after patient 69

Raymond Russell launched himself into contention at the Gujarat Kensville Challenge after a three-under-par second round of 69 elevated him to tied ninth position, five shots off the lead set by home favourites Shiv Kapur and Rahil Gangjee.

The Edinburgh-born European and Challenge Tour winner began the day five shots off the lead after a one-over-par opening 73, but produced a superb back nine to move to two under par for the tournament and keep himself in the running for the title at Kensville Golf and Country Club in the Gujarat region of India.

After carding a birdie on the second hole, he bogeyed the par five sixth and the par three eighth to reach the turn in 37; but things picked up as birdies on the tenth, 14th, 15th and 18th holes saw him come home in 32 shots.

“I scored a lot better today,” said the 39-year-old. “It’s tricky out there, the greens are firming up so you try and take advantage of the morning tee-off. I still had a few loose shots, making six at a par five (sixth hole) is criminal and that frustrated me. I missed a couple of short putts but got it going again on the back nine.

“To be fair, I’ve not really hit it close apart from with my wedge, but it’s pretty hard to get it close. I’m trying to watch what I’m doing, because if you start going over greens you’re doing well to make bogey.

It was a good day for most of the Scots, as Callum Macaulay and Chris Doak both shot two under par rounds of 70 to climb to joint 20th place on level par overall.

Andrew McArthur and Jack Doherty, however, both failed to make the cut,