Golf
Virdi opens up two-shot lead in Bengaluru; Anas Khan and Harjai share second spot
Despite mid-match blues on the front nine, Bengaluru lad Ishnidh Singh Virdi rallied in fine fashion to submit a solid three-under 69 on the second day of the IGU Rotary Southern India Bio-Gen Sansera Amateur Golf Championships at the KGA course in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Bengaluru-lad Ishnidh Virdi takes one-shot lead over Aarya Sharma and Harjai Singh
The 17-year-old took his two-day tally to eight-under 136 for a two-shot lead over the duo of Anas Khan (69) and Harjai Milkha Singh (70). Tanish R Gowda, another KGA youngster, shot a gritty one-under 71 to occupy the fourth spot with an aggregate of three-under 141.
Virdi seemed to continue from where he left off yesterday, making a hat-trick of birdies from the second hole. A bad chip on the fifth saw him drop a shot. And on the par-3 eighth hole, he pulled his 9-iron tee shot to the left and ended up with a bogey-four.
However, he put the two blemishes behind him and picked up shots on the ninth and 11th holes to stay ahead of the field.
Anaahat Bindra in the lead
In the Ladies and Junior Girls’ championships running concurrently, Kolkata’s Anaahat Bindra shot a two-under 70 to take a one-shot lead over Ayesha Gupta. Yogya Bhalla, who competes in Category ‘A’ (15-17 years) alongside Ayesha, was tied for third with Ojaswini Saraswat (Category ‘B’) and Keya Badugu.
Anaahat Birla shot a two-under 70 to take a one-shot lead over Ayesha Gupta and Yogya Bhalla
Anaahat, who is playing in only her fourth event this season, got off to a blazing start. A 10th-tee starter, she picked up a shot on the 11th and strung together a hat-trick of birdies from the 15th hole to take the turn at four-under. She holed several long putts, including a monstrous 60-footer on the 17th hole.
After another birdie on the second hole, the 18-year-old missed a seven-foot par putt to drop a shot on the third. She then made a double bogey five on the fourth to settle for a 70.
Leading scores: Amateurs (after 36 holes): 136: Ishnidh Singh Virdi (67, 69); 138: Anas Khan (69, 69), Harjai Milkha Singh (68, 70); 141: Tanish R Gowda (70, 71); 142: Krish Chawla (69, 73); 143: Naveen Rathi (73, 70), Ranveer Mitroo (72, 71); 144: Prem Muniyappa (73, 71), Prince Bainsla (71, 73).
Ladies, Category ‘A’ & ‘B’ combined (after 18 holes): 70: Anaahat Bindra; 71: Ayesha Gupta; 73: Yogya Bhalla, Ojaswini Saraswat, Keya Badugu; 75: Anoushka Suresh Kannan, Priya Kumari, Ahaana Tiwari.
Category ‘C’ (11-12 years): 82: Ridhima Kapoor; Vedika Bhansali; 85: Aarushi Sharma, Kishori Subramanian, Aashna Amogha.