Aman Raj goes low for first round lead at inaugural Mysuru Open

Day one Mysuru Open leader Aman Raj of Patna hits off the tee at the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Golf Club in Mysore on Thursday. Image courtesy PGTI.

By Rahul Banerji 

Patna golfer Aman Raj fired a brisk 8 under par 62 for the first round lead at the inaugural Mysuru Open hosted by the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Golf Club on Thursday.

The Rs 1 crore event is the first ever men’s professional tournament to be played in Mysore and was marked by a brief shower.

Seventeen-year-old amateur Veer Ganapathy of Bangalore, a regular at the JWGC, struck a 7-under 63 in his maiden round in a professional event to be tied for second along with Chandigarh’s Angad Cheema and Noida’s Arjun Sharma.

Four-time tour winner Aman Raj, currently 16^th on the PGTI Order of Merit, began with a chip-in for birdie from the fringe. He then kept hitting it close through the day to pick up eight more shots against a lone bogey.

Aman said, “It’s a great layout here at JWGC and the course conditions were perfect both before and after the rain.

“I scored well thanks to my good ball-striking and chipping. Lost some momentum today after the 12^th but came back well after the bogey on the 16^th by making birdies on the last two holes.

Scoring chances

“This course gives you a lot of scoring opportunities and is yet quite intimidating as the par-3s here are very challenging because of the tight greens and the wind coming into play.

“I took some time off from golf at the start of the mid-season break and that helped a lot. I also worked on my fitness during the break.”   

Ganapathy capitalised on his familiarity with the course to bring home an effort that included eight birdies and a bogey.

The teenager’s work off the tee and wedge shots were the highlight of his round. A three-time winner on the junior circuit including the All-India Junior last year, Ganapathy had two birdies on the front nine before adding six more on the way back.

Teenage amateur Veer Ganapathy on his way into tied second place with a brisk 7 under par 63. Image courtesy PGTI.

The left-hander, son of former professional Rahul Ganapathy, is ranked number three on the Indian junior circuit. Veer’s father, a three-time winner on the PGTI, is also his coach.

“I played well as I hit my wedges really close and didn’t leave myself any long putts.” The teenager said.

“I started off slow but the birdie on the sixth got my round going. I also recovered well towards the end after a late bogey.

“It was good to have my parents following me today. As advised by my father, I just went out there and enjoyed myself. My home course is the KGA but JWGC also feels like a home course to me because I play here once a month at least.”

Angad Cheema posted a flawless 63 while Arjun Sharma made nine birdies and two bogeys to shoot the same score.

Mysore-based professionals Yashas Chandra and Aalaap I.L. shot 64s to be bunched in tied fifth along with five others while Manu Gandas, one of the favourites this week, carded a 66 for tied 16^th.

Day 1 leaders

62: Aman Raj

63: Veer Ganapathy (A), Angad Cheema, Arjun Sharma

Also read: Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Golf Club to host inaugural Mysuru Open