Jeev Milkha Singh [Images] battled the effects of a bout of severe food poisoning and fired a second round of one-over 72 to be tied second after the second round of the Japan [Images] Open golf tournament in Kawagoe on Friday.

The winner of the Volvo China Open and leader on the UBS Asian Tour Order of Merit, Jeev admitted to feeling very weak during the flagship event of the Japanese Tour.

"I thought once I start playing I will feel better, but the weakness is continuing," said Jeev, who is now five-under 137 after 36 holes.

He is one shot behind defending champion and tour leader Shingo Katayama, whose two-under 69 on second day took him to six-under 136 for two days.

Jeev had a six-under 65 on first day and led the field by two at the Kasumigaseki Country Club West Course.

Jeev, fighting giddiness and nausea, had four bogeys in his front nine but also managed to find three birdies to limit he damage. On the back nine, he had one bogey and one double bogey, but also managed three birdies to finish the day at 72.

Jeev was the only one in top-15 to have an over-par round but despite that he managed to stay close to the top.

Jeev shared the second spot with two Koreans, Kyung Tae Kim (68) and Won Joon Lee (67).

Hidemasa Hoshino (65) had the best score of the second round and was tied fifth with three others, Paul Sheehan (70), Hiroshi Iwata (67) and Tetsuji Hiratsuka (70) at four-under.

Toru Taniguchi (67) and Yong Eun-Yang (70) were tied ninth at three-under.