By Rahul Banerji
Amateurs Bishmadpal Singh Seerha and Akshay Neranjen led round 1 of Pre Qualifying I of the Tata Steel PGTI Qualifying School at the Kalhaar Blues & Greens Golf Club in Ahmedabad on Friday.
In bad news for the Q School process, however, the PGTI early on Friday postponed the later stages of the tournament owing to the worsening Covid situation in Gujarat.
Following an emergency meeting on Thursday, the OGTI said, “Fresh dates will be intimated for the postponed events. The results of Pre-Q 1 will stand as played.”
Nineteen-year-old Bishmadpal Singh Seerha of Chandigarh struck an eagle, three birdies and three bogeys during his round of 2-under par 70.
Seerha, top amateur at the PGTI’s event in Panchkula last year, found the green in two for his eagle on the par-5 12th. He also made an outstanding par-save from 30 feet on 14.
Bishmadpal, ranked 12th on the amateur circuit in 2021, said, “It was a windy day so the conditions were not easy.
“However, I’ve been driving, chipping and putting well and that helped me put up a good score. Reading the greens well will be an important factor going forward.”
Long conversions
Twenty-year-old Akshay Neranjen of Bangalore, ranked fifth on the amateur circuit in 2021, made four birdies and two bogeys in his 70.
Akshay, who was tied fifth at a PGTI event at home in 2019, took advantage of the par-5s, converting three of them in his four birdies.
He also made a good recovery for bogey on 13 after hitting his tee shot out of bounds.
Neranjen said, “My ball-striking was quite consistent, especially my approach shots, as I made 14 greens in regulation.
“I also played the par-5s really well. I’m carrying the confidence from my top-5 finish at the PGTI event in 2019 and also from my win at the Western India Amateur last month.”
Bangalore’s Raunil Kukar, another amateur, was tied third on 1-under 71 along with Pune-based professionals Pratik Nirmale and Aditya Bhandarkar.
From a total field of 101, the top 26 players (+ ties) will qualify from Pre Qualifying I, a 36-hole event, for the Final Qualifying Stage. There are three Pre Qualifying events in total.
Pre-Q II, III, Final Stage delayed
Meanwhile, in view of the rapid spread of Covid-19’s Omicron variant, most state governments are announcing travel restrictions and curfews, the PGTI said.
“Keeping this in mind, we note that players travelling from other states to Gujarat for the purpose of the PGTI Qualifying School 2022 would be at great risk of catching the virus.”
It added: “Only Pre-Qualifying I will be held as scheduled on January 7 and 8 at Kalhaar Blues and Greens Golf Club.
“All other events/programmes of the PGTI Qualifying School 2022 (Pre-Q II, III & the Final Stage), earlier scheduled to be held between January 10 and 20, stand postponed as of now.
“Fresh dates will be intimated for the postponed events. The results of Pre-Q 1 will stand as played.”
Also read: Tata Steel PGTI Q School begins today at Ahmedabad
Discover more from Tee Time Tales
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.