Nairobi, Feb 21 (NationPress) Veer Ahlawat and Shubhankar Sharma successfully made the halfway cut in the 2026 Magical Kenya Open.

Ahlawat, who competed throughout the last season, recorded scores of 67-67, finishing at 6-under for the two rounds, placing him at T-28th. Sharma delivered an impressive second round, scoring 5-under 65 with six birdies and just one bogey, securing his spot at 4-under and finishing at T-55. In his second round, Ahlawat registered five birdies against two bogeys.

In contrast, Yuvraj Sandhu fell short of the cut with scores of 69-71.

Frederic Lacroix dazzled with a second-round score of 62, tying for the halfway lead with Casey Jarvis. Both players are at 13 under par, maintaining a two-shot lead over the rest of the field, while Njoroge Kibugu thrilled the local crowd by making the cut with an eagle on the final hole.

Jarvis’ compatriot, Hennie Du Plessis, delivered a remarkable 61—a potential course record if not for the preferred lies rule at Karen Country Club—tying him for third place with Angel Ayora from Spain and Ricardo Gouveia from Portugal.

Following a strong opening round of 65 capped off with an eagle, Lacroix continued his momentum with four birdies before the turn and another four after for an impressive 62.

Gouveia played flawlessly, scoring a bogey-free 65, while Ayora matched that with seven birdies, stating, "I'm feeling very good, my putting is good and from the tee I'm hitting very good."

Meanwhile, all three Indian-origin players made the halfway cut at the Genesis Invitational, the second Signature event of the PGA Tour season. Aaron Rai, who started with a 66, shot a second round 70 and is tied for 12th. Akshay Bhatia finished with 68-71, placing him at T-21, while Sahith Theegala, playing on a Charlie Sifford exemption from tournament host Tiger Woods, ended with 70-71 for T-33rd.

Rai recorded five birdies and four bogeys, while Bhatia ended with three of each, and Theegala tallied three birdies against two bogeys.

Marco Penge and Jacob Bridgeman both finished strong at The Riviera Country Club, each scoring 7-under 64, tying them for the lead at the Genesis Invitational, with Rory McIlroy trailing close behind.

For Scottie Scheffler, it was a tough day as he needed to make a 7-foot par putt just to make the cut.

Penge, the top player from the DP World Tour to earn a PGA TOUR card this year, surged ahead with five birdies in his final seven holes, posting 12-under 130. Notably, he managed to focus on golf amidst personal matters, as his wife prepares to welcome their second child next week.

Bridgeman also finished strong, birdieing his last three holes, concluding with a 5-iron to 8 feet.

McIlroy started with rounds of 66-65 and currently has only one bogey through 36 holes, a significant improvement from the previous week at Pebble Beach, where he faced three double bogeys and a triple bogey that hindered his performance.

This event is one of three Signature Events with a 36-hole cut for the top 50 and ties, as well as those within ten shots of the lead. Scheffler, who had to rally for a 74 to finish the rain-delayed opening round, was acutely aware of his standing. He managed to finish at even par with scores of 74-68, just making the cut, marking the third consecutive week he has struggled to break par in the first round.