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Veer, Manu keep India's hopes alive
Overnight T-22nd, Ahlawat jumped 16 places to solo sixth, carding an impressive six under on another sweltering day at the Indian Open
Veer Ahlawat and Manu Gandas, both products of DLF Golf and Country Club and part of the next generation of Indian golfers trying to assert themselves on the global stage, came good on their home course while their experienced compatriots endured another poor day at the Hero Indian Open here on Friday. Overnight T-22nd, Ahlawat jumped 16 places to solo sixth, carding an impressive six under on another sweltering day. Gandas, a 2022 PGTI Order of Merit winner, logged a bogey-free round to finish T-16 at seven under, up from T-80th on the opening day.
The cut couldn't be applied on Day 2 as the play was called off in the evening due to lightening. Japan's Keita Nakajima, overnight joint leader, ended the day as clubhouse leader, equating the winning score -- 14 under -- of 2023 on Day 2 itself. He holds a two-shot lead over Frenchman Romain Langasque (66-66) and Italian Matteo Manassero (65-68) at 11-under.
The 23-year-old Major League Baseball fan, who spent a record 83 weeks at the top of the World Amateur Golf Ranking, is playing his maiden DP World Tour event after topping the Order of Merit on the Japan Golf Tour last season. After an aggressive opening day that saw him go seven under, Nakajima started on front nine and made birdies on five consecutive holes starting from par 5 fourth hole. Two more birdies arrived on 10th and 11th before he made a hat-trick of bogeys on holes 14-16.
Nakajima was not done. He birdied the 17th from ten feet before holing a 15-footer on the last hole to complete another seven under day. "I'm comfortable being the leader of the pack. The birdie on the 17th was big for me because I had made three bogeys before," he said.
Among the Indians, eight out of 31 in the 14-strong field are projected to make the cut, including Aman Raj (T-8), Karandeep Kochhar (T-16), Gaganjeet Bhullar (T-22), Rashid Khan (T-31), and Shubhankar Sharma (T-31). Aman, part of the top-rated Indian trio on Thursday, played a safe bogey-free round before play was called off with Aman having made last of his three birdies on the par 5 fourth hole. Kochhar, four under on Thursday, fired seven birdies to go with a double bogey to finish two under.
Much like the opening day, the course conditions remained optimum for better part of the day as wind picked up only late in the afternoon. The greens played soft, offering a nice roll and decent control, giving ball strikers enough premium for their hits. Gandas, one over on Day 1, made most of the friendly conditions on his back nine, scoring five birdies in his last six holes to go with the two shots he had saved earlier at the front.
"All aspects of my game were much better today as compared to round one, especially my iron-play," Gandas observed. "I hit more fairways and greens today and landed my approach shots within five feet of the pin on several occasions. The highlight of my round was keeping the errors out and making those five birdies on the last six holes. I managed to get out of trouble on a couple of occasions too. The bunker shot on the eighth was special as it landed inches from the flag and led to a birdie," he added.
Bhullar awaits TOPS funding
Meanwhile, 11-time Asian Tour winner Gaganjeet Bhullar is waiting to hear from SAI on his request for inclusion in TOPS scheme, over three months after he had mailed SAI's TOPS division regarding the same. The 35-year-old also marked a copy to the Indian Golf Union to push his case. As of now, golfers Anirban Lahiri, Aditi Ashok, and Diksha Dagar are part of TOPS' core group while Shubhankar Sharma and Avani Prasanth are in development group.
"Our regular expenses are covered by sponsors but TOPS funding is ideal for building a support group of coaches, physio and mental trainer. It also helps in purchasing equipment. Considering all these factors, I had applied for TOPS funding in the Olympic year but I am yet to hear anything from them," Bhullar, who carded three under to finish T-22 on Friday, said.
Currently the second-best Indian after Shubhankar in men's rankings, Bhullar is in line to make it to his maiden Olympics. Overall, 60 places each in men's and women's fields are up for grabs for Paris with Bhullar occupying the 53rd spot on the Olympic Golf Rankings. Shubhankar is placed 46th.
Sports ministry's Mission Olympic Cell has met nine times since Bhullar's plea but his request, it has been learnt, never came up for discussion. "We will look at it in due course. He is an Olympic prospect, so his case will definitely be taken up. His request is under consideration," a senior TOPS official said.
