Kochhar continues to make progress at International Series Thailand

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Karandeep Kochhar
File photo of Karandeep Kochhar who shared second place on the penultimate day of the International Series Thailand in Hua Hin. Image courtesy PGTI.

By Rahul Banerji

Karandeep Kochhar climbed from overnight tied 10th place into a share of second on Moving Day at the $1.5 million International Series Thailand in Hua Hin.

At 17-under par 199 and three shots behind the leader. Phachara Khongwatmai of Thailand, Kochhar is well poised to at least match his best Asian Tour result come Sunday.

The bespectacled Chandigarh golfer has rounds of 65, 68 and 66 so far that included eight birdies against two dropped shots on the day.

His first bogey of the week was on the 47th hole after gunning in six birdies on the front nine, four of them in a row to start the round.

Delhi’s Honey Baisoya continued his strong showing to share 24th place at Black Mountain on 13-under 203 (67-67-69), his Saturday round including three birdies against two dropped shots

Patna’s Aman Raj has also showed out well at Hua Hin and sits on shared 36th on 12-under 204 (67-70-67) one shot up on Gaganjeet Bhullar (67-69-69 and Ajeetesh Sandhu (68-68-69).

Viraj Madappa is T53 on 9-under 207 and Chikkarangappa S. T66 on 3-under 213.

First blemish

Kochhar’s first bogey came on the second hole of the back nine. He had one more, on the 16th, against eight birdies on the day.

Six birdies on his front nine meant Kochhar would turn in 6-under 30 and though he was to give away two of those gains, a closing birdie got him back into the top-two along with four others.

Winner of last week’s PGTI season-opener, the Gujarat Open, Kochhar said on Friday similarities between the Kalhaar course in Ahmedabad and Black Mountain had made the transition easier for him.

At the top, Phachara Khongwatmai led the way on 20-under 196 as he burst out of a packed group at the top of the leaderboard, said asiantour.com.

Phachara went 9-under 63 to lead countrymen Poosit Supupramai and Itthipat Buranayarat, America’s Sihwan Kim, Kochhar and Doyeob Mun of Korea.

Poosit matched the course record of 62 set by Sihwan on Thursday as low scores continued to dominate the upper half of the standings. He hit an eagle and nine birdies against one bogey.

Overnight leader Ryo Hisatsune of Japan carded a 71 and dropped to shared eighth on 15-under.

Also read: Steady 70 sees Kochhar through in final round of Gujarat Open

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