Gurgaon’s Honey Baisoya on his way into the clubhouse lead in the inaugural Kolar Open at the debut-making Zion Hills course near Bangalore on Tuesday. Image courtesy PGTI
By Rahul Banerji
Honey Baisoya took a two-shot lead on the opening day of the Rs 1 crore Kolar Open powered by Zion Hills as the PGTI made its debut at the new venue on Tuesday.
Baisoya, from the DLF Golf & Country Club, shot a 4 under par 68 to set the course record at the new venue in Kolar near Bangalore, the PGTI said.
The 29-year-old, a seven-time PGTI winner held the clubhouse lead as the first round could not be completed due to fading light. Eight players in a field of 126 were yet to complete round one.
A four-way tie for second placeon 2 under 70 included Tapendra Ghai of Gurgaon, Delhi’s Shaurya Bhattacharya, Mumbai lad Aryaman Aditya Mohan and Sri Lankan K. Prabagaran.
Twice a winner this year, Chandigarh’s Angad Cheema and last week’s runner-up Udayan Mane of Pune, carded 73s to share 24th place.
Arjun Prasad of Delhi, second on the PGTI Order of Merit, returned a 76 to be tied 46th.
Baisoya, 16th on the PGTI’s merit list with four top-10s in the season including a second place finish, had a birdie and two bogeys over his first eight holes.
Profitable conversions
He then converted a 12-foot eagle putt and added three more birdies and a 35-foot conversion for his second eagle.
He closed the day with three-putt bogeys on holes eight and nine after starting on the back nine.
“Playing this course for the first time, I would say, since the fairways on the back nine are narrow, the key is to negotiate the fairways well especially when the wind is up,” Baisoya noted.
“I feel my day changed for the better after I made a great recovery from the hazard to make bogey on 17. I had a good run thereafter picking up seven shots on the next seven holes.
“I’ve been playing well and have been consistent since my runner-up finish in Delhi in April. After a good start in tough conditions, I’ll look to build on the foundation from here on.”
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