International Series India: Matthew Cheung ‘can compete with best’ on return to Asian Tour
Hongkonger bounces back from loss of tour card two years ago to regain belief that he belongs in company of the sport’s finest
Two weeks into the new Asian Tour season and Matthew Cheung has no doubts he belongs among the ranks of the region’s best golfers – he just hasn’t shaken off all the pre-season rust yet.
The Hongkonger was flirting with the cutline on Friday at the International Series India, the second tournament running in which he would not be playing at the weekend, after similar struggles at the Philippine Open.
An opening eight-over-par 80 would normally have left the 29-year-old well adrift of the field, but with only 14 of the 108 players posting scores below par on Thursday, when thick fog delayed the start, the cut was at seven over by the time darkness descended on Friday with 56 golfers still on the course.
Among them was Cheung, who was level par for the second round through his first four holes, while compatriot Taichi Kho had navigated seven holes without dropping a shot, leaving him at two over after a first-round 74.
Of those who did not struggle with the thick rough and firm greens of DLF Golf and Country Club, LIV Golf’s Joaquin Niemann had opened up a two-shot lead at six under after rounds of 70 and 68.
American Ollie Schniederjans and Japan’s Kazuki Higa were tied for second, while Niemann’s LIV colleagues Bryson DeChambeau and Anirban Lahiri were among the players who managed to break par at one under.
