Event host Jeev Milkha Singh was in a solid second place after 36 holes of the $500,000 HSBC India Legends Championship at the Jaypee Greens course on Saturday. Image courtesy Legends Tour.
By Rahul Banerji
Overnight leader Joakim Haeggman of Sweden stayed ahead of the field but saw his advantage cut to one stroke by tournament host Jeev Milkha Singh in the $500,000 HSBC India Legends Championship at Jaypee Greens on Saturday.
Haeggman hit a 2 under par 70 for a 9 under total of 135, Jeev closed in with a second successive 4 under 68 and an 8 under 136 aggregate headed into Sunday’s final round of the Legends Tour event.
Qualifying School topper Jyoti Randhawa was third on 4 under 140 with a level par 72 on Saturday that had six birdies against as many bogeys while Brazil’s Adilson da Silva (68, 73) was fourth on 3 under 141.
Haeggman, a three-time winner on the European Tour before joining the Legends Tour in 2022 where he took the MCB Tour Championship – Seychelles that year, said patience was the name of the game at the Jaypee Greens.
“I was hitting the greens today which is very important here because chipping and putting around these greens are very tricky. You’ve got to play this golf course with patience.
“The main difference today was I didn’t hole as many putts as I did yesterday but in general I played quite nicely again, hit some really good golf shots and kept driving the ball okay.
Waiting game
“Yesterday I had a really nice run in the middle where I made a lot of birdies and hopefully I can get into that again tomorrow and have a few birdies and get some momentum.
“But overall really, really happy to add on to my score because if you shoot two or three over today, you’re coming back to the field. Now it’s really hard for them to kind of catch up.”
Haeggman and Jeev were held a comfortable cushion over Randhawa and the 55-year-old Swede said taking on his final round playing partner would be interesting.
“Jeev’s going to be right in there and it couldn’t be better for the tournament, but obviously I hope that I can stay on top and beat him tomorrow, but again it’s great for the tournament that we have two Indians playing well.
“Winning is always going to be difficult, disregarding who it is and whatever tournament it is, it’s never going to be easy. But I’m really looking forward to the challenge. You much prefer to be one ahead than one behind, so there’s a good start,” he added.
Other than a blip on his ninth hole of the day when he found the water, Jeev had a satisfying day with a second 4 under 68 in a row. “I got greedy,” he said later of the dropped shot, though he also converted two long putts on the day.
Good recovery
“I think the last hole par was special because I hit a bad bunker shot and I holed a good 20 foot putt. Especially on the back nine, I felt like my body wasn’t keeping up with me.
“Maybe I needed more energy. The last three holes were really difficult because what I wanted to do, I wasn’t able to do. But I got away with it.
“Today was a better putting day for me, much better than yesterday. And, shooting two 4-unders on this golf course in this weather, I would take it. I think anybody would be happy. I’ll Just go out there tomorrow and give it my best shot.”
Having made a good start on the back nine where he picked up two shots in the first four holes, Randhawa then hit a bogey-birdie-bogey sequence to make the turn still one under par.
The front nine saw him swap three birdies for four bogeys including three in the final four holes, and Randhawa said later, “It was an up and down round. I think I just wanted to play good today. I put myself under pressure, you could say trying to score a good round.
“That’s why it just kept going up and down, I think, birdies, bogeys, birdies, bogeys. But having said that, it’s not that easy to play in the afternoon.
“I think every time I go over on the front nine, I just get motivated to play under on the back nine. So I just go and, you know try and do the best that I can, play some attacking golf. But tomorrow’s another day.”
Having been paired with Yuvraj Singh for the second round, Randhawa had encouraging words for the powerful former India all-rounder.
Cricketer Yuvraj Singh (leftO and Jyoti Randhawa, who played together in the second round of the HSBC India Legends Championship, shake hands at Jaypee Greens on Saturday. Image courtesy Legends Tour.
Long hitter
“Today It was great playing with Yuvraj Singh. I think these cricketers, they hit it a long way and he hits it far. Once they get the timing right, it really goes.”
On the tour’s Order of Merit, da Silva is fourth, Haeggman stands 12th, Randhawa 27th and Jeev Milkha Singh 28th, making it a battle for placing in the overall standings as well.
Said da Silva afterwards, “I just mentally wasn’t feeling comfortable today. I was trying to get back into the game but just couldn’t, especially on the putts having struggled on the greens. My longest putt was in the last hole, probably an eight-footer, and that was it.
“I missed a couple of two, three footers, which doesn’t help. The greens are running well. You shouldn’t really miss those putts
“I drove the ball well, I think I maybe missed only one fairway. So I didn’t really miss many and my iron play was okay. I think the difference was I made the putts yesterday and today I just didn’t make them.”
Also read: Jeev, Jyoti Randhawa start strongly at HSBC India Legends event
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