Priyanshu takes three-shot lead at PGTI Final Qualifying Stage

By Rahul Banerji

Gurgaon-based Priyanshu Singh opened up a three-shot lead in round two of the PGTI’s Final Qualifying Stage for the 2019 season at the Kensville Golf & Country Club near Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old, who won the Pre Qualifying II last week, followed up his opening round of level-par-72 with a two-under-70 to total two-under-142.

Chandigarh teenager Aadil Bedi (73), Ludhiana’s Pukhraj Singh Gill (71) and Delhi’s Wasim Khan (71), last year’s PGTI Q School champion, were tied second one-over-145s.

The cut fell at 15-over-159 with the top 80 going through.

Hot putting

Priyanshu, overnight tied third and one behind the leaders, fought back after a double-bogey on the fourth hole. He was to add four birdies between the ninth and the 17^th holes thanks to some measured putting and long conversions.

Priyanshu, who played college golf in the United States before turning professional in November last year, is now the only player in the field to have not shot an over-par round in tough scoring conditions this week.  

Priyanshu said, “While I haven’t struck it well so far this week, my putting has been the best highlight of my game. I was well supported by my caddie who helped me read the greens that finally contributed to my good score.

“I’m now really excited about the next two rounds and the prospect of earning my PGTI card in my first attempt at Q School.”

Amateur Karan Pratap Singh of Gurgaon and Mumbai’s Anil Bajrang Mane were tied for fifth at two-over-146.

At the end of round four on Saturday, the top 41 players will earn full cards for the 2019 PGTI season.

Diksha, Sifat make pro debuts

In Pune, the opening event of the 2019 season of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour saw a spate of amateurs moving into the professional ranks. As many as six of the seven who have recently turn pro are figuring in the first leg at the Poona Club Golf Course.

Most prominent of the newcomers is southpaw Diksha Dagar, who also secured rights on the Ladies European Tour in the Qualifying School in Morocco. She joined Sifat Alag, sister of Sifat Sagoo, Diksha’s teammate at the Jakarta Asian Games.

The third member of the Asiad team, Ridhima Dilawari who turned pro some months ago, is however absent this week.

Fresh faces

Other newly minted pros in action this week at the Rs. 8 lakh event are Anousha Tripathi of Ahmedabad, Jyotsana Singh of Lucknow, Dolma Rawat of Delhi-NCR and Ananya Datar of Mumbai.

The last of the new pros, Ishvari Prasanna of Bengaluru is not be playing this week.

Another exciting name in the field, though still an amateur, is hugely talented 15-year-old Pranavi Urs, who recently retained her Faldo Series India title. Urs will also feature in the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final in Vietnam in March. Later in the year, she will leaving to take up a golf scholarship at the Albany Academy in Bahamas.

Also read: Pranavi Urs defends title at Faldo Series India