Yuvraj Sandhu storms into Tolly lead courtesy an event-low 61

Yuvraj Sandhu on his way into the day two lead at the Tata Steel PGTI Players Championship presented by The Tollygunge Club with a sensational 9 under round in Kolkata on Wednesday. Image courtesy PGTI.

By Rahul Banerji 

Yuvraj Sandhu grabbed the lead with a tournament-low 9 under par 61 in round two of the Tata Steel PGTI Players Championship presented by The Tollygunge Club in Kolkata on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old Sandhu (63-61), winner of nine titles including one on the international stage, followed his opening 63 with a sensational run in the season-opener to hold a three-shot lead at 16 under 124, the PGTI said.

Jamal Hossain (65-62) of Bangladesh, a winner on the PGTI last year, struck an equally impressive 8 under 62 to close the day in second place on 13 under 127.

In tied third place on 10 under 130 were Honey Baisoya (65), Rahil Gangjee (67), S.S.P. Chawrasia (66), M. Dharma (63) and Arjun Sharma (67).

The cut came at 2 under 138 with 59 professionals and one amateur – local lad Anshul Mishra – going into the final two rounds.

Flying start

Chandigarh’s Sandhu, the overnight joint leader, opened on Wednesday with an eagle conversion from 15 feet on the 10^th. He then added five more birdies till the first hole landing his shots within five feet on three occasions.

Yuvraj conceded a bogey against the run of play on hole five but roared back with a couple of excellent iron shots to set up birdies on the next two holes.

He capped his round with the day’s longest birdie conversion from 25 feet on the eighth to fall one short of the 1998 course record set by Indrajit Bhalotia.

Sandhu, a former winner at Tollygunge Club, said, “It was a solid ball-striking day for me. I’ve been working on my tee shots with my coach Gurbaaz Mann and the results are finally showing.

“Last season, I played a lot of events in windy conditions so the learning was to work harder on my tee shots in such conditions.

“The focus was on shaping the shots and committing to them. Since the wind was swirling today, all the hard work I’ve done on my hitting recently paid me dividends.

“The fact that I have a certain comfort level playing at Tollygunge also adds to my confidence going forward.”

Hossain produced a chip-in for eagle on 10 along with eight birdies and two bogeys during his round of 62 to climb five positions from his overnight tied seventh.

Defending champion Manu Gandas was tied 50^th at 2 under 138.

Also read: Gangjee, Sandhu and Sharma share day one lead at the Players’