Yuvraj Sandhu holds Top-10 spot in Turkish Open, Sharma sneaks past cut line
Synopsis
Yuvraj Sandhu's steady hand kept him in contention at the Turkish Open's halfway mark, while Shubhankar Sharma's dramatic five-shot collapse nearly cost him his tournament life. With Gregorio De Leo holding a one-shot lead, the final 36 holes promise a tightly contested finish on the DP World Tour.
Key Takeaways
Yuvraj Sandhu carded 1-under 71 to sit inside the Top-10 at the Turkish Open halfway stage.
Shubhankar Sharma shot 3-over 75 and finished 1-over, tied 57th , sneaking past the cut line.
Gregorio De Leo leads at 7-under after a 2-under 68 with five birdies and one bogey.
De Leo holds a one-shot lead over Del Rey , Dantorp , Kobori , and Bairstow , who sit at 6-under .
Defending champion Martin Couvra made the cut on the number at 1-over .
Yuvraj Sandhu carded a steady 1-under 71 to sit inside the Top-10 at the halfway stage of the Turkish Open on the DP World Tour in Belek, Antalya on 2 May. The Indian, in his first season on the European circuit, mixed four birdies with three bogeys to maintain contention heading into the weekend.
Sharma's dramatic turnaround
Shubhankar Sharma also secured his place in the final 36 holes, but only just. Despite a strong start featuring four birdies and two bogeys, the 29-year-old stumbled down the stretch, dropping five shots across five holes between the 13th and 17th — three bogeys and a double bogey — to card 3-over 75. He finished 1-over and tied 57th, sneaking inside the cut line which fell at exactly 1-over.
De Leo takes command
Gregorio De Leo of Italy moved into the lead with a flawless second round. The 26-year-old fired five birdies and just one bogey for a 2-under 68 to reach 7-under and hold a one-shot advantage going into the weekend. It marks De Leo's first 36-hole lead on the DP World Tour after regaining his playing privileges at Qualifying School following a rookie campaign that yielded two top-five finishes.
Chasing De Leo
Alejandro Del Rey and Jens Dantorp briefly joined De Leo at 7-under in the afternoon wave but fell back, finishing tied for second at 6-under alongside Kazuma Kobori and Sam Bairstow. First-round leader Mikael Lindberg sits at 5-under in solo sixth after a 2-under 73, while defending champion Martin Couvra made the cut on the number at 1-over.
Road ahead
Sandhu's consistent play and Sharma's survival set up an intriguing final two rounds, with De Leo's narrow lead vulnerable to the chasing pack. The tournament concludes on the weekend at the National Golf Club in Belek.
Point of View
Where his first season is proving competitive against established European talent. Sharma's near-miss on the cut line—a five-shot collapse in five holes—illustrates how quickly momentum evaporates in professional golf. De Leo's lead is narrow enough that the weekend could belong to any of the five players within one shot, but his Qualifying School redemption arc adds narrative weight to his bid for a maiden DP World Tour victory.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Yuvraj Sandhu perform at the Turkish Open halfway stage?
Yuvraj Sandhu carded a 1-under 71 to sit inside the Top-10 at the halfway stage of the Turkish Open on the DP World Tour. He birdied the 4th, 8th, 11th, and 14th holes while dropping shots on the 7th, 13th, and 17th.
Did Shubhankar Sharma make the cut at the Turkish Open?
Yes, Shubhankar Sharma made the cut, but only just. He finished 1-over and tied 57th, sneaking inside the cut line which fell at exactly 1-over. He shot 3-over 75 after a late collapse where he dropped five shots across five holes between the 13th and 17th.
Who is leading the Turkish Open after two rounds?
Gregorio De Leo of Italy leads at 7-under after carding a 2-under 68 in the second round with five birdies and one bogey. He holds a one-shot lead heading into the weekend.
What happened to Shubhankar Sharma in his final holes?
Shubhankar Sharma dropped five shots in five holes between the 13th and 17th, including three bogeys and a double bogey. This came after a strong start where he had four birdies and two bogeys.
Who are the challengers to Gregorio De Leo's lead?
Alejandro Del Rey, Jens Dantorp, Kazuma Kobori, and Sam Bairstow are tied for second at 6-under, one shot behind De Leo. First-round leader Mikael Lindberg sits at 5-under in solo sixth.
