Mane remains in lead at Poona Golf Club

Pune, October 27, 2011: Bangalore’s Udayan Mane’s chances of getting the first title on amateur circuit got brighter as he fired an eagle on the finishing hole to take the lead in the third day of Maharashtra Open Amateur Golf Championship at Poona Golf Club. Mane shot 2-under in today’s round for the three day total of 3-under 210. It was a good lead for Mane as another boy from his home course (KGA), Khalin Joshi could only hit level par like yesterday. Defending champion Joshi finished four shot behind at 1-over 214 as a runner-up while Jamshedpur’s Karan Taunk remained on third position with the score of 2-over 215.

Delhi’s Siddharth Semwal had the best round after shooting 4–under and jumped to the fourth place with three day’s total of 3-over 215. Bangalore’s S. Chikkarangappa could not reduce his score as he had a disappointing round of 2-over at the end of day at 218 (76, 69, 73).

Mane was little shaky in the beginning but kept fighting to remain with the level par score till he reached the last tee. It was a real up-down in his game as he hit a birdie on 3rd and bogey on 4th , another bogey on 13th and birdie on 14th while he again recovered from one shot which he dropped on 16th and birdied the 17th. He finally managed to put a full stop to his confusing game after he sank a 20-foot eagle on 18th to close the game at two-under.

A thrilled Mane said, “I actually got into my real game after the fourth hole and just thought about one thing that at no point of time, I want to go beyond the level-par score. When I saw Khalin making three birdies in a row on 10th, 11th and 12th, I really got worried but then I started breathing properly. I was taking time to putt and that made me do it better. At the end, I was actually listening to music which was coming from outside and made an extra-ordinary eagle of the day to take a comfy lead.”

Current No. 2 on the IGU’s order merit, Joshi who wants to be number one on the amateur circuit before getting onto Professional circuit said, “I had very bad start with a double bogey on the starting hole. Despite making four birdies in the back nine, I was just hitting each shot badly. I hope a little bit of meditation which I do every morning, will help me taking the title tomorrow.”

A Press Release