By Rahul Banerji
Asian Tour rookies Aadil Bedi and Aman Raj led a solid Indian push on the opening day of the $300,000 Classic Golf & Country Club International Championship on Thursday in shared fifth place, three shots behind Day One leader Rory Hie of Indonesia.
Both Bedi, who was in the Jakarta Asian Games team earlier this year, and Raj earned their Asian Tour cards only this year and were the best placed amongst a large Indian group in the 156-strong field. The two were in a tie for fifth place on 5-under par 67s along with Sweden’s Andreas Gronkvist.
Hie, only 122nd on the Habit for Humanity Standings shot one of his best rounds in a long time, bringing in an eight-under par card of 64. Sattaya Supupramai, who has been coming to India each year since 2008, Suradit Yongcharoenchai and Kwanchai Tannin, all from Thailand, were on six-under 66s in Tied-second place.
A year after he turned pro, Hie was in India for the 2009 Sail Open at this course. Hie, who is yet to win on Asian Tour, recalled that visit. “That was the year Chapchai (Nirat) won and set a world record (of 32-under).
“The rough this time had made it so much more difficult. If you don’t hit it on the fairway, you have got to scramble and make par.”
Big bunch
Rashid Khan, Abhijit Chadha, Himmat Rai and PGTI veteran Ranjit Singh were a shot behind in tied eighth on 4-under 68s alongside six others, while as many as nine Indians were in a share of 16th place including Viraj Madappa and rookie Kshitij Naved Kaul.
Bedi, who turned pro just last year, opened with one of his best first round in a fledgling career that contained six birdies against one bogey. The 18-year-old later said, “It’s a good start but I don’t want to get too ahead of myself yet as it’s only the first round. There’s still a long way to go.”
“I played the Monday qualifiers of the Korn Ferry Tour in the United States earlier this year. I missed out by two positions but gained a lot of experience there”
“I am comfortable at this course, as this is where I grew up playing. I played here as a junior and an amateur and I have a lot of support here. It’s definitely an advantage for me,” he added.
Solid golf
Patna’s Aman Raj had a bogey-free effort that featured two terrific approach shots to within five feet from the flag on the 16th and seventh holes. He also chipped well to set up birdies within four feet on the 14th, third and ninth holes after starting from the 10th tee.
Aman said, “I’ve enjoyed some good starts on Asian Tour events this year but haven’t finished well. I guess it’s part of the learning curve for me since this is my first full season on the tour.
“This week I have an opportunity to make amends since I’ve gotten off to another promising start. I just feel my game is getting better with every passing week thanks to the experience I’m gaining by playing in Asia. I need to stick to my routine and focus on finishing the week with good scores.”
Veteran’s run
National coach Amandeep Johl, all of 50, and whose best finishes were second place in Korea in 2003 and runner-up again in Pakistan in 2006, was on fire for his outbound nine, the back stretch of the course as he turned in five-under 31 with three birdies and an eagle.
He parred five holes in a row and then stumbled with a double bogey on the Par-4 sixth. Johl got into the field just a day before the start on the basis of his PGTI Qualifying School finish earlier in the year.
The fiery Rashid Khan who went bogey-free on the day with four birdies on the par-72 course said later, “Last year I had a full Asian Tour card, this year I have a country spot.
“I had a full card for four years previously, so really want to do well. This is my fifth event on the Asian Tour this year.”
In the morning Gareth Paddison of New Zealand was on fire as he raced through the back nine of the course in seven-under, before he had a triple bogey on the first, his 10th hole of the day.
He then ran out of birdies and also bogeyed the par-5 ninth to finish 3-under after being 7-under at one stage.
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