Manav, Mandeo emerge joint leaders at the halfway stage

 Manav Jaini 

Mandeo Singh Pathania 

Greater Noida, April 24, 2013: Delhi’s Manav Jaini and Mandeo Singh Pathania of Greater Noida are the joint leaders at the halfway stage of the Jaypee Greens Open 2013 being played at the Jaypee Greens Golf Resort in Greater Noida. Jaini and Pathania have a total score of nine-uner-135 after two rounds. Sandeep Syal of Chennai is one shot behind the joint leaders in third place.

The cut was declared at three-over-147. Fifty-three professionals and one amateur made the cut.

Manav Jaini (68-67), who was overnight tied third, started his round with a bogey on the first and then came roaring back with birdies on the fourth and fifth as he landed it within eight feet on both occasions. Jaini’s unbelievable third shot from 90 yards out on the par-5 12th ended up in the hole and thus earned him an eagle. Manav, a winner on the PGTI in 2011, added two more birdies to his card after landing his approach shots within seven feet on the 13th and 15th to end up with a five-under-67.

“It was one of my best efforts of the season so far. I hit it close through the day and sank all putts. My round got going after consecutive birdies on the fourth and fifth. I would have landed it within a few inches on the 12th as well but the ball rolled in for an eagle and that was a bonus,” said Jaini.

Mandeo Singh Pathania (67-68), who belongs to the Jaypee Greens Golf Course, maintained his overnight joint lead with a four-under-68 on Wednesday. Pathania, who started from the 10th, had four birdies and two bogeys on his first-nine. He landed his second shot within five feet of the pin for birdie on the 13th and found the green in two to set up a birdie on the par-5 15th. Mandeo then made three birdies against a bogey on his second-nine. He made chip-putts for birdies on the second and fifth and sank a 12-footer for birdie on the seventh.

Pathania said, “It was another good day with the driver and I also made some brilliant chip-putts. A couple of long birdie putts rolled in for me on the 16th and seventh. I’d say I capitalized on the par-5s today as I made birdies on three of the four par-5s.”

Sandeep Syal (68-69) of Chennai is placed third at seven-under-137 while Chandigarh’s Harendra Gupta (67-71) is a further shot back in fourth place.