On Jaypee’s super-fast greens, with the BMW boys

By Rahul Banerji

A sunny morning, dazzling machinery on display and greens like greased lightning made for an interesting combination in the eighth of 10 legs of the BMW Golf Cup, one of the world’s largest amateur tournaments, at the Jaypee Greens in Greater Noida on Thursday.

Marshalled by the suave Anitya Chand and enticed by a mix of heady weather and happy hospitality, the event decided two qualifiers for the 2019 BMW Cup national finals and also kept close to 90 energetic golfers swinging away in a bid to land the big prize.

With the venue having recently hosted the qualifying rounds of the Queen Sirikit Cup international women’s amateur competition and also other knockabout tournaments, the course looked a picture though the greens were devilishly tricky to deal with.

Slip-sliding away

Greens on regulation, or almost, was one thing. Finishing off the hole was something else altogether though at the end of the day, those who adapted quickest wore the widest smiles. Not that too many others were complaining, especially with a well-stocked bar to ease their woes at the end of the round.

With all three German automakers – BMW, Mercedes and Audi – hosting their own tournaments in India and across the world, this has become another arena of competition between them. And with a host of brands – equipment TaylorMade), apparel (Eonix) and accessories (360 leather) in this case – jostling to get on to the bandwagon, the weekend golfer is one happy bunny.

Just ask Messrs ‘Tiger’ Rajesh, Rajeev, Kesar and the others!

Rashid powers ahead at Chittagong Open

In Bangladesh, meanwhile,overnight joint leaderRashid Khan opened up a two-shot cushion on the the field with a second round card of 6-under-66 at the City Bank American Express Chittagong Open.

Two-time Asian Tour winner Rashid took his two-day total at the Bhatiary Golf & Country Club on Thursday to 13-under-131 even as teenager Kshitij Naveed Kaul too returned a 66 to climb into second place on 11-under-133.

Md Sajib Ali continued to be the highest-placed Bangladeshi golfer for the second day in succession, gaining one spot with a 69 to be tied fourth at 8-under-136 at the halfway stage.

Rashid Khan (65-66), who began the day alongside Mysore’s Yashas Chandra, didn’t have the best of starts with an early birdie-bogey sequence but soon recovered to stamp himself on proceedings with solid approach play and confident putting..

‘Up and down day’

Rashid said later, “It was an up and down day for me. I’m glad that I finished well with those birdies at the end. I was not feeling very comfortable at the start of the round as the wind kept switching. I was missing fairways by just a little bit at the start and as a result had to then focus on placing it well.

The birdie on the fourth was very crucial. It was my best birdie of the day as my near-perfect lob wedge shot from 100 yards set up a tap-in. On the last hole, I thought I’ll look for a two-putt for par from off the green but fortunately my putt found the hole.  

“I’ve never really had a good result in Bangladesh so far. So I’m eager to set the record straight this time around.”

Hot start

Eighteen-year-old rookie Kaul’s 66 propelled him up the leaderboard thanks to an eagle-birdie start which he continued to build on the rest of the way. Though he was to drop one shot, a further four birdies helped shore up his card.

Honey Baisoya produced a second straight 67 to be placed third at 10-under-134 while Sajib Ali shared fourth place with Shamim Khan (68) and Mukesh Kumar (69) at eight-under-136.

Round one joint leader Yashas Chandra slipped to tied seventh at seven-under-137 after a round of 72.

Sri Lanka’s Anura Rohana, who struck a hole-in-one during his round of 65, also took a share of seventh with Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (68).

The cut fell at two-over-146 with 55 professionals making it to the money rounds.

Also read: More awards for Bali National Golf Club at Asia-Pacific meet