Kashif Alam takes early lead at Lucknow feeder tour event

By Rahul Banerji

Noida golfer Kashif Alam brought in a flawless 6-under-28 to take the honours in round one of the Tata Steel PGTI Feeder Tour season-ender at the Palms Golf Club & Resort in Lucknow on Thursday.

Abhinav Lohan of the DLF Golf & Country Club in Gurgaon was second thanls to a round of 5-under-29.

As a result of heavy rain over the last one week, a good part of the course was rendered unplayable and the round was reduced to nine holes with the par for the course being 34.

Kashif Alam got his round going with a 15-foot birdie conversion on his first hole. He then made further gains with three consecutive birdies and signed off for his round with an eagle when he holed his approach from 60 yards.

‘Staying in the moment’

Kashif said, “What really clicked for me was the ability to stay in the moment and not get ahead of myself or even get too affected by mishits. I have been practising hard and have had some good finishes on the Feeder Tour, so have been feeling confident.

“It was about getting it all together. I also felt I didn’t try too hard to pull off crazy shots, and played within myself to play percentage shots. 

“I putted really well. I was in trouble on two holes, the fifth and seventh, but made two clutch eight and 12 footers for par there.

“I was rewarded for my patience and focus with a bonus eagle on the 18th where I had a 60-yard pitch second shot to a tight flag which I felt I hit dead, but couldn’t see the result as the flag was tucked in.

“When I reached the green I couldn’t spot my ball though I had an inkling that it had gone in and sure enough it did. Overall, I’m happy to get off to a great start.”

Good run

Lohan continued to mine a good run of form over the last two weeks to script a 5-under round. Lohan, who finished tied 21^st at the Asian Tour event at Classic and was tied 11^th at last week’s Jaipur Open, sank an eagle and four birdies at the expense of a lone bogey on Wednesday.

Lohan landed his approach from 100 yards to within two feet on the ninth and then sank a 25-foot eagle putt on the 15^th.

Lucknows Sanjeev Kumar and Amardeep Rawat were tied third on 4-under-30s along with Kolkata’s Imran Ali Mollah and Gurgaon’s Aditya Raj Kumar Chauhan.

Sanjay Kumar of Lucknow was tied 13^th at 2-under-32.

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