Arjun Atwal misses cut at John Deere Classic

SILVIS: Indian golfer Arjun Atwal stumbled on the back nine, carding a disappointing six-over 77 to miss the cut in the John Deere Classic on the PGA TOUR here.

Atwal, who straddles between the main PGA TOUR and the PGA Tour Champions (for Seniors) shot even par 71 on the first day. But, the Indian had a tough back nine on day two with two double bogeys and two other bogeys.

He totalled six-over and the cut fell at four-under.

Cameron Young, who has six runner-up finishes on the Tour, shot a seven-under 64 on Friday to take a two-stroke lead halfway through the John Deere Classic. Young was at 13-under 129 at TPC Deere Run, with Garrick Higgo (66), Adam Schenk (66) and Brendon Todd (65) chasing him at 11-under.

The 26-year-old Young was the PGA TOUR's Rookie of the Year and he was also the runner-up at The Open Championship and tied for third at the PGA Championship and played on the winning U.S. Presidents Cup team.

Young’s six runner-up finishes without a victory has him in a tie with Colin Montgomerie and Briny Baird for the most in the past 40 years.

Ludvig Aberg, William Mouw, Denny McCarthy and Kevin Roy were 10 under, three shots back. Roy, a 33-year-old PGA TOUR rookie, shot a career-best 63 after missing the cut in six of his previous eight events. Aberg and McCarthy each shot 64 and Mouw had his second straight 66.

Young began the day three shots behind first-round leader Jonas Blixt and quickly got to the top with birdies on his first three holes -- the 10th, 11th and 12th. He closed with birdies on two of his final three holes.

Schenk had five birdies without a bogey, while Todd had a run of four birdies in five holes midway through the round. Blixt, who opened with a nine-under 62, shot 73 to fall six shots off the lead.