Bengaluru, Karnataka, 07-12-2018
Sri Lankan Anura Rohana powers ahead by three shots after a sublime 64; Seventeen-year-old rookie Aadil Bedi fires a classy 65 to move into second
Raju Singh fires an ace
Sri Lankan Anura Rohana powered ahead by three shots after shooting a sublime eight-under-64 in round two of the PGTI’s Indo-MIM Presents Bengaluru Open Golf Championship 2018 Powered By Britannia, GoAir and Principal Partner Karnataka Tourism.
The 45-year-old Rohana’s bogey-free effort in windy conditions in the latter half of the day took his 36-hole total to an imposing 13-under-131 at the Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) course.
While the experienced Anura shot the tournament’s best score to take pole position, 17-year-old rookie Aadil Bedi of Chandigarh also hogged the limelight with a classy seven-under-65 that placed him second at 10-under-134.
The halfway cut fell at one-over-145 at the Rs. 60 lakh event. Sixty-two professionals and one amateur made the cut.
Anura Rohana (67-64), who began the day in fourth place, one off the lead, sizzled from the very start as he sank birdies on his first two holes, the 10th and 11th. Although he missed a number of short putts on the back-nine, Rohana did manage to pick up two more strokes on the 14th and 18th.
Anura, a winner of five titles including one at the KGA, stepped on the gas on the front-nine picking up four more birdies. Rohana, who won his last title almost a year back, signed off with a 20-feet birdie conversion on the ninth.
Rohana, who also plied his trade on the Asian Tour this year, said, “The good start with birdies on the first two holes really made me believe that it could be my day. Despite the fact that I missed at least six birdie putts from a range of 10 feet, my putting was right up there today. I knocked in a couple of putts from 15 to 20 feet. It was windy today but I handled the conditions well with some good club selection.
“I’ve won a PGTI event at the KGA back in 2011. So I know what it takes to win here. I’ve also shot a couple of six-under scores at this venue in the past. However, this is my best ever round at the KGA.
“I’ve not been playing well this year both on the Asian Tour and the PGTI so I know that I have to make up for that. This week I have the opportunity to do so. When I began the week, my target was to shoot at least five-under on all days. So far, I’m on track. If I manage scores of five-under over the last two rounds, I will definitely take home the trophy,” added Anura, currently placed 21st on the PGTI Order of Merit.
Aadil Bedi (69-65), playing only his fourth professional event, shot the best round of his short professional career so far, a 65, that saw him climb 13 places from his overnight tied 15th. Bedi, who turned pro soon after representing India at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta in August this year, mixed eight birdies with a lone bogey at the KGA on Friday.
Aadil missed an eagle by a whisker on the 11th when his chip stopped an inch from the hole. Thereafter, he went on to make birdie conversions from 30 and 15 feet on the 13th and 17th respectively.
Bedi said, “I took advantage of the calm conditions in the morning. After moving to four-under with a birdie on the sixth, I knew I was on course for a good score. Then the birdies on the 11th and 13th were huge as far as momentum was concerned.
“I had a rough start in round one as I was two-over through seven holes. But I made a good comeback from that position as I fixed something in my swing midway through the round that helped me post a 69. I carried forward the positives from round one into the second round.
“In fact, after missing cuts in my first two professional events, I had a morale-boosting 12th place finish at an Asian Development Tour (ADT) event in Malaysia last week. I shot a 66 in round three and was five-under through 12 holes of the last round when the round was suspended due to lightning. I was placed third when play was halted. That performance got me into a good frame of mind and prepared me well for this week’s event.
“As a junior I have won an event at the KGA so I have some good memories of the course which always helps.”
Round one joint leader Mukesh Kumar of Mhow slipped to tied third at nine-under-135 after returning a 69 on day two. Delhi’s Rashid Khan and Patna’s Aman Raj carded scores of 67 to also take a share of third place.
Chandigarh’s Harendra Gupta, another joint leader from round one, dropped to tied sixth at eight-under-136 after a round of 70. Om Prakash Chouhan (68) of Mhow was also in tied sixth.
Defending champion Udayan Mane of Ahmedabad came up with a 68 to occupy tied eighth at seven-under-137. C Muniyappa (69) joined Mane in tied eighth to be the highest-placed Bengaluru golfer.
Honey Baisoya, also part of the three-way lead in the first round, posted a 74 in round two to slip to tied 14th at four-under-140.
Noida’s Raju Singh struck a hole-in-one on the 13th during his round of 73. He was placed tied 39th at even-par-144.
Local lad Aryan Roopa Anand was the only amateur to make the cut. Aryan shot scores of 71 and 74 to be tied 48th at one-over-145.
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