Overnight leader Krish Chawla shot a three-under 67 to maintain a one-shot lead on the second day of the IGU Telangana Amateur Golf Championship at the Hyderabad Golf Club in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Chawla’s second straight sub-par round took his two-day tally to eight-under 132. Anshul Mishra, who had a modest start on the opening day, made the most of the near benign conditions for a brilliant bogey-free seven-under 63 to climb to the sole second spot with a cumulative total of seven-under 133.
Gulfam Hussain (68) was one stroke further back in third place, and one ahead of Ranveer Mitroo (69). Order of Merit leader Deepak Yadav (67), Shashank Sachin (70) and Shamit Dakhane (69) were tied fifth on four-under 136.
Chawla started cold with bogeys on the first (lip out) and fourth holes (missed a 12-footer). But the 17-year-old quickly got his game back on the rails with a hat-trick of birdies starting from the sixth, featuring some stunning approach shots.
He made an eagle three on the 10th hole, set up by a brilliant 4-iron second shot. He celebrated with a chip-in birdie on the next hole. A bad approach on the 13th saw him drop a shot for his 67.
Mishra, a winner already this season, was on a roll from the get-go. After picking up birdies on the second and ninth holes, where he sank a 12-footer, the Kolkatan was in a zone on the return journey.
The 17-year-old, who is also preparing for his 12th board exams in a weeks’ time, sank five birdies. Armed with a red-hot putter, Mishra picked up shots on the 10th and four on the trot from the 14th hole for a brilliant finish. He needed a mere 27 putts for the round.
Leading scores (after 36 holes): 132: Krish Chawla (Chd, 65, 67); 133: Anshul Mishra (WB, 70, 63); 134: Gulfam Hussain (Har, 66, 68); 135: Ranveer Mitroo (Del, 66, 69); 136: Shashank Sachin (Mah, 66, 70), Shamit Dakhane (Mah, 67, 69), Deepak Yadav (Del, 69, 67); 138: Raju Gautam (UP, 70, 68).
