Ahlawat makes strong start to Indonesian Masters campaign

By Rahul Banerji

Veer Ahlawat was third and Anirban Lahiri shared fifth in the lightning-interrupted opening round of the BNI Indonesia Masters at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club on Thursday.

The $1.5 million event is the year’s final one on the Asian Tour and hence vital for those looking to hold onto their tour cards, for which a top-60 finish in the Order of Merit is necessary.

Ahlawat, who has a solid outing at the Bangladesh Open last week was five-under 67 while Lahiri was four-under 68 in 10 holes when play was called off.

The Indian star and 2014 winner in Jakarta is playing the event as part of the International Series along with fellow LIV Golf members Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, Scott Vincent, Travis Smith and others.

Mandiri Indonesia Open champion Gaganjeet Bhullar was in a tie for 11^th on three-under 69 while Rashid Khan and Karandeep Kochhar were in shared 17^th place on two-under 70s after nine holes.

Chandigarh’s Kochhar too had a lucrative outing in Dhaka, taking a share of fourth place behind event winner Danthai Boonma of Thailand.

At the top of the order Thailand’s Kosuke Hamamoto and Neil Schietekat of South Africa returned six-under-par 66s to hold the clubhouse lead.

Hamamoto playing well off the back of a second-placed finish in Bangladesh last Sunday returned a bogey-free card with six birdies to his name.

Alongside him, Schietekat, battling to keep his Tour card, had seven birdies against one bogey.

Play interrupted

Half the field was unable to complete their rounds as play was stopped for the day at 4.45pm local time, the Asian Tour said.

Further down the order, twice Indian Open winner Shiv Shankar Prasad Chawrasia was tied 30^th on one-under 71 with Honey Baisoya and M. Dharma.

Udayan Mane was level par after 13 holes, Aman Raj had completed his round with a 73 while Ajeetesh Sandhu was also one over with five holes to go.

Others waiting to complete their opening rounds on day two were Chikkarangappa S. and Viraj Madappa while Khalin Joshi was three-over 76.

South African legend Ernie Els was level par after 11 holes along with McDowell and Australian Scott Hend who had both completed nine holes.

On the Order of Merit, 10-time Asian Tour winner Bhullar is the best-placed Indian at 14^th with Rashid Khan 16^th. Ajeetesh Sandhu sits in 23^rd place and Madappa in 37^th.

Ahlawat is 44^th, Chawrasia 57^th, Shiv Kapur 59^th and Kochhar 60^th.

At risk are Chikkarangappa (67^th), Baisoya (79^th) and Aman Raj (81^st).

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