Bengaluru, October 20, 2016: Reigning Rolex
Ranking champion Chikkarangappa S of Bengaluru came into his own in round two
of the TAKE Open Golf Championship as he shot a resolute five-under-67 to move
into the joint lead along with Chandigarh ’s
Sujjan Singh at eight-under-136. Sujjan brought in a card of
two-under-70 on Thursday.
While Panchkula-based Shubhankar Sharma (69) was one stroke
off the pace in third place, four players, including Bengaluru-based amateur
Jaibir Singh (69), Bengaluru’s Rahil Gangjee (70), Sri Lankan Anura Rohana (66)
and Chandigarh ’s
Abhijit Singh Chadha (72), were bunched together in tied fourth at six-under-138.
The cut was declared at two-over-146. Fifty-three
professionals and two amateurs made the cut.
Local favourite Chikkarangappa (69-67), who was three off
the lead in tied ninth after round one, held his front-nine together on
Thursday despite struggling with his approach shots and wedge play. He was
two-under through seven but then had a quiet spell of six pars till the 13th.
Chikka’s round took off after his 20-feet birdie conversion
from the edge on the 14th. He drained another long birdie putt on the next hole
before completing his hat-trick of birdies on the 16thwhere his approach from
160 yards out landed within two feet of the flag.
Chikka, who narrowly missed out on a birdie from 25 feet on
the 18th, now seems to be in the groove as he hasn’t conceded a bogey for the
last 28 holes.
Chikka said, “I wasn’t at my best till the 13th hole
today. But after the 20-feet conversion on the 14th, I really got into my
stride. I played solid golf over the last five holes. The birdie on the
16th was another morale-booster for me.
“It’s not easy reading the greens here and therefore I was
struggling to make putts in the first half of my round. Sometimes you need a
little luck on the greens. Today I also found the right side of the holes and
thus didn’t have too much of a problem with some of the tight pin positions.
“I’m very comfortable with my new 3-wood and have been
striking it to over 280 yards. I’ve therefore used the driver only once in the
first 36 holes. I don’t think I’ll need it in the last two rounds either since
my 3-wood has been doing the job.
“I’ve been doing well with my new putter as I took 26 putts
today. That’s been my putting average over the last few weeks on the Asian Tour
as well,” added Chikka, a winner of nine titles, including two on the Asian
Development Tour (ADT).
Sujjan Singh (66-70), the round one joint leader, hung on to
his overnight position after a steady 70 that saw him make three birdies and a
bogey.
Sujjan, also a winner on the ADT, looked set for the sole lead
after he drained three birdie putts from 10 to 15 feet on the first 12 holes.
However, a misjudgment of line on the 14th green led to his fourth
three-putt of the tournament and resulted in a bogey.
“I had it under control till the seventh but lost my way
between the eighth and the 14th. I didn’t hit it too well on that stretch and
this course gets you if you do that. Nonetheless, I managed to keep it together
at the end with pars on the last four holes,” said Sujjan.
He added, “It’s going to be a fun weekend with Chikka in top
form. However, I’ll just be focusing on my game rather than thinking of
anything else.”
Shubhankar Sharma lurks in third place as he followed up his
first round 68 with a fighting 69. He almost holed out from 120 yards on the
18th where he picked up one of his four birdies.
Bengaluru amateur Jaibir Singh, playing at his home course,
shot a second successive 69 to be two off the lead in tied fourth. The
26-year-old Jaibir, ranked India ’s
no. 2 amateur this year, seemed to have been inspired after playing his
practice round alongside Indian star Jyoti Randhawa on Tuesday.
Jaibir’s spirited second round effort saw him land it within
six feet on four occasions as he came up with six birdies against three bogeys.
Anura Rohana produced the day’s best score of 66 to move up
from overnight tied 37th to tied fourth position.
Round one joint leader Abhijit Singh Chadha of Chandigarh slipped to
tied fourth place after a 72 on day two. Bengaluru’s Rahil Gangjee (70) was
also part of the quartet bunched together in tied fourth place.
Jyoti Randhawa (69-70) was one of six golfers in tied eighth
place at five-under-139.
Fifteen-year-old Aadil Bedi of Chandigarh was the second amateur to make the
cut. Aadil, one of India ’s
leading juniors, followed up his opening round 76 with a valiant 70 in round
two to be tied 49th at two-over-146.
PGTI release
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