Jyoti Randhawa kept the Indian flag flying as he shot four-under 68, one of the handful of scores in 60s, to be at three-under 141 midway through the Caltex Singapore Masters at the Laguna Golf and Country Club.

Despite the sun slightly more kind on the second day, the scores were nothing much to write home about, as only three other players had cards better than Randhawa.

At tied 14th, Randhawa (3-under 141) ensured his place in the money-making rounds over the weekend, it was a tense time for four other Indians - Harmeet Kahlon, Amandeep Johl, Rahil Gangjee and Gaurav Ghei - who were all right on the cut number, which came at two-over 146, to be tied at 69. The top 70 and ties made it to the weekend rounds.

Winner of Volkswagen Masters - China last year, Gangjee, five-over at the start of the day, had a brilliant 69, which included three birdies on the front nine and two on the back journey.

"On the 18th I knew I had a 30-footer for birdie and I knew I had to get it in to have a chance," said Gangjee. He did it and immediately pumped his fist.

"It felt great playing in such tension, though it would have been nice to make the cut more comfortably," added Gangjee, for whom this is the first cut in any European Tour event.

Ghei, 10th at the 2002 Singapore Masters, was two-over for the front nine and four-over for the tournament and things looked tough for him. But playing in the very last group, Ghei charged back in the return nine.

"I had two birdies and no bogeys and it included a birdies on the 11th and 16th. Then I had a tense 15-footer for par on the 17th."

In fact at one stage, the scoreboard showed Ghei at four-over after 15, when it was actually three-over.

"I had a four on par-4 on the 14th, but in my hurry to go to he restroom after 15th, I told the girl a wrong score. She passed that on to the scoreboard, but since I had the official score and it was tense, I let be and put y correct score in the card."

Earlier, both Kahlon and Johl made things difficult for themselves. Kahlon dropped three strokes in two holes - 16th and 17th - while Johl sitting at one-over bogeyed the 17th and missed an eight-footer for birdie on the 18th. Then he chewed nails before making the cut.

The two Indians headed home early are Arjun Atwal, the 2002 winner, who playing alongside overnight leader Colin Montgomerie (eight-under 136), shot a three-over 75 to go with his first day's 77 to crash out at eight-over, and Jeev Milkha Singh (nine-over 153).

Meanwhile the tournament lead changed hands as the 22-year-old Nick Dougherty, a protégé of Nick Faldo, took over from Scotsman Colin Montgomerie of Scotland.

With Monty shooting only a one-under 71 - which included two bogeys than snapped his bogey-free streak of 82 holes - Dougherty added a five-under 67 to his first day's 68 to come to nine-under and one shot ahead of Montgomerie.

Thomas Bjorn with the day's best card of 66 was lying tied third at six-under with three others, China's Liang Wen-Chong, Malaysia's Danny Chia and Welshman Jamie Donaldson.

Jyoti, who was third at the Caltex Singapore Masters last year, was a satisfied man. Sitting with his cousin and caddie Bunty Randhawa, he said: "I am very happy with the way I am hitting the ball. What pleased me most was that I did not have a single bogey today and in fact had at least three more birdie chances but the ball lipped out just as I bent down to pick it. Considering I picked up the clubs yesterday for the first time after almost six weeks, I am very happy with my driving and iron-play."

Harmeet was par for the day after 15 holes and one-under for the tournament. Then he missed a chip-putt on 16th for a double and then had a bogey on the 17th.

He missed a 10-foot birdie putt on 18th and ended three-over for the day and two-over for the tournament. And then spent the entire afternoon in suspense, before he was relieved to come inside the cut line.

"That bad chip-putt spoiled things for me," said Kahlon.

Jeev Milkha Singh shot a six-over, which included one eagle, one double bogey and six bogeys but NO birdies. His eagle came on the par-5 11th. "The putts didn't fall and I was not hitting well either," said Jeev.

Leader Dougherty said he looked forward to playing with Monty on the third day. "(The idea is to) keep playing golf, keep enjoying it and if it turns out great then fantastic. If not, I will try and give myself a chance the following week."

In contrast Monty was surly, as he had his first bogey this year on the second hole. Then he made up with birdies on the next two. Monty's last bogey in Singapore came on ninth in first round in 2004 edition.

On the 18th he missed a short putt for birdie, and then threw his visor down and seemed angry with himself. Even at the post-round media meeting, his mood was rather black. Only a day earlier he was charming and friendly, and now it was different.

The star of the day was Thomas Bjorn, who shot a six-under 66, the best card of the day and after a first round of 72, the Dubai-based Swede now six-under for the tournament and lying third.

He had an exciting first nine - the back nine of the Course - over which he was six-under. He had one each of a birdie and a bogey on the next nine.