New Delhi, 07-11-2014

Gangjee fires 68 to stay two ahead in round two

Amateur Pratap Atwal in tied third

India’s Rahil Gangjee followed up his opening round of six-under-66 with a determined four-under-68 in round two of the US$ 300,000 Panasonic Open India to maintain his two-shot lead at the top. Gangjee’s two-day total stood at 10-under-134. Defending champion Wade Ormsby of Australia lies second at eight-under-136 at the event co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the PGTI. Indian amateur Pratap Atwal is in tied third along with Sri Lankan Mithun Perera, Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman and Australian Terry Pilkadaris at seven-under-137.

The cut fell at five-over 149 and 69 players qualified for the weekend. A total of 35 Indians, including amateur Pratap Atwal, made the cut, which fell at five-over-149.

“You can’t take anything lightly on this golf course no matter how much you are leading by. Anything can happen but you can really go low on this course if you are hitting well, which I am doing at the moment,” said the 36-year-old Gangjee.

While many players choose not to use the driver at the tree-lined Delhi course, Gangjee used the big stick to great effect on the course which punishes wayward drives because of thick bushes surrounding the narrow fairways.

“The driver is one of my stronger clubs and that’s why I’m going to take it. I’m confident with it and I know where the ball is going to go. I’m going to do it over and over again. I’m the leader so I will definitely feel some pressure,” said Gangjee.

Twenty-three-year-old Pratap Atwal, the nephew of Indian star Arjun Atwal, ended day two in joint third courtesy a second round of 68 on his home course that featured five birdies and a bogey.

Pratap, the reigning All India Amateur champion, who only took to golf in 2010, said, “I’m delighted with the way I’ve played on the first two days. I putted even better today, especially on the back-nine. I feel my strength is my iron-play. I set up a couple of birdies with some good iron shots on the fifth and 10th.”

He added, “I’ve had an excellent amateur season so far this year with nine top-10s from nine starts and that has helped me enter this event in a positive frame of mind. Since I plan to turn professional at the end of this year, a good performance in a tough field this week will give me lot of confidence.

“I met my uncle Arjun Atwal at an Asian Tour event in Japan two months back. He was very encouraging and gave me some sound advice. He said I need to work harder than everyone else if I have to do better than everyone else,” said Atwal.

EurAsia Cup star Siddikur, who is making a return on the Asian Tour after a lengthy back injury, opened with a 12-foot eagle putt before holing a thirty-footer putt from the edge of the eighth green for a second eagle.

“I’m not surprised with my position because my short game is really good. I’m confident with my putter. I’m not confident off the tees but when I’m on the green, I know I can hole my putts,” said Siddikur, who won the Indian Open here in 2013.

A confident Mithun, the son of Nandasena, a famous name on the old Asian circuit during the 1980s and 1990s, was delighted to be in contention for a first Asian Tour win on his favourite course.

“Once I come to this golf course, I have a lot of confidence because this is a golf course which I like playing on. When I play here, I play without any worry and maybe that’s why I always do well here,” said Perera.

Shubhankar Sharma’s seven-under-65 was the best score of the tournament so far. It placed him tied seventh along with another Indian Rashid Khan at six-under-138.

“My iron-play and putting was much better today as compared to day one.  I was good off the tees in round one but didn’t really hit it close. Today, I narrowly missed a hole-in-one on the fifth as my eight-iron tee shot landed inches from the pin. 

“I’m delighted to have matched my joint best score in a professional event. The bogey-free round is just what I needed at this stage. I’ll look to be consistent from here on and try to keep the bogeys out,” said Shubhankar.

He added, “It’s been a fantastic season for me as I won my first event and am also in contention in the PGTI’s Rolex Rankings. Just want to keep it going and end the year on a high.”