PGTI in Chandigarh: Bangladesh’s Jamal seizes halfway lead with day’s best of 67

Bangladesh’s Jamal’s (70-67) total read seven-under 137 and he enjoyed a two-shot lead over the quartet of Greater Noida’s Arjun Sharma (68), Kolkata’s Mohammad Sanju (71), Chandigarh’s Harendra Gupta (70) and American Varun Chopra (71)

Bangladesh’s Jamal Hossain seized the halfway lead after returning the second day’s best score of five-under 67 at the ₹1-crore PGTI Players Championship here on Thursday.

A golfer playing a shot during the PGTI Golf Tournament at Chandigarh Golf Club in Chandigarh. (Ravi Kumar/HT)

Dhaka-based Jamal’s (70-67) total read seven-under 137 and he enjoyed a two-shot lead over the quartet of Greater Noida’s Arjun Sharma (68), Kolkata’s Mohammad Sanju (71), Chandigarh’s Harendra Gupta (70) and American Varun Chopra (71).

The cut was declared at two-over 146. Fifty-one professionals made the cut.

The 38-year-old Jamal, lying tied 12th and two off the lead after round one, had a quiet front-nine with a birdie and a bogey each. However, his putter began firing on the front-nine as he made a 40-feet birdie conversion on the eighth.

Jamal, who was runners-up at last year’s edition at Chandigarh Golf Club, then sank long birdie putts at will on the back-nine to make a charge. The three-time winner on the PGTI drained a 35-footer, two 15-feet putts and a 10-footer for birdies. He also landed his five-iron approach within a foot of the flag, his best shot of the day in his own words, for a tap-in birdie on the 15th.

Arjun Sharma carded an error-free 68 to occupy joint second place. Angad Cheema (70) was the second Chandigarh golfer in the top-10 as he was placed tied sixth at four-under 140.