By Rahul Banerji
Bangladesh golfer Jamal Hossain took a two-shot lead into Moving Day at the Rs 1 crore PGTI Players Championship at Chandigarh Golf Club on Thursday.
The wiry Jamal fired the day’s best, a five-under 67 to lead the field by two shots, the PGTI said.
Dhaka-based Jamal’s (70-67) total read seven-under 137 and he is trailed by Greater Noida’s Arjun Sharma (68), Kolkata’s Mohammad Sanju (71), Chandigarh’s Harendra Gupta (70) and Varun Chopra (71) of the US.
The cut was declared at two-over 146 with 51 professionals making the money rounds.
The 38-year-old Jamal, lying tied 12th and two off the lead after round one, had a quiet front nine with a birdie and a bogey. However, Hossain’s putter began firing on the front nine with a 40-foot birdie conversion on the eighth.
Jamal, runner-up at last year’s edition of the Tata Steel PGTI Players Championship at the same venue, then sank long birdie putts at will on the back nine to mount his charge.
Hot putter
The three-time winner on the PGTI drained a 35-footer, two 15-foot putts and a 10-footer for birdies.
He also landed his five-iron approach within a foot of the flag, his best shot of the day in his own words, for a tap-in birdie on the 15th.
Jamal said, “My good ball-striking form has given me a lot of confidence coming into this week. I’ve also gone back to my old putter which has helped me put up a better display so far this week.
“The fact that I played well here in Chandigarh during last year’s event and finished runner-up, also adds to my self-belief going into the last two days.”
Arjun Sharma carded an error-free 68 to hold joint second place.
Angad Cheema (70) was the second Chandigarh golfer in the top-10 in tied sixth on four-under 140.
Kevin Esteve Rigaill of Andorra matched the day’s best 67, holding shared 23rd on one-under 143.
Round 2 leaderboard
137: Jamal Hossain (70-67)
139: Arjun Sharma (71-68), Mohammad Sanju (68-71), Harendra Gupta (69-70), Varun Chopra (68-71)
140: Karan Pratap SIngh (70-70), Sachin Baisoya (69-71), Angad Cheema (70-70), Kapil Kumar (72-68)
Baisoya shines
Meanwhile, on the opening day of the $2 million International Series Vietnam in Cam Ranh, Honey Baisoya fired a seven-under 65 to share second place at the KN Golf Links.
China’s Bai Zhengkai led the way with a bogey-free 64 as a strong Indian contingent at the Asian Tour event jostled for places at the top before falling away on Thursday.
Delhi’s Baisoya had nine birdies against two bogeys – one on either nine – on his way to the clubhouse lead before Bai overtook him, Korea’s Taehee Lee and Lee Chieh-po of Chinese-Taipei with a late run.
Baisoya was in a group of Indians setting the early pace on the Greg Norman-designed course in Vietnam’s first Asian Tour event in seven years.
Gurgaon left-hander Kartik Sharma was the next best Indian on five under 67 after having briefly held second place behind Khalin Joshi in the morning.
Former Asian Tour Order of Merit winner and holder of seven titles on the tour, Anirban Lahiri had a three under 69 alongside Joshi, Shiv Kapur, Karandeep Kochhar, Chikkarangappa S., and S.S.P. Chawrasia, all tied for 41st place.
Rashid Khan was two under in shared 62nd place, Gaganjeet Bhullar was level par 72 for tied 101st place besides Veer Ahlawat and Viraj Madappa.
Also read: Four-way tie for day one lead at Chandigarh Players C’ship
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