Hyderabad: The second round of the Golconda Masters witnessed a leaderboard logjam as five players shared the lead at seven-under-135 on Friday. Australia’s Kunal Bhasin produced a masterclass five-under-66 to be the joint leader along with Mukesh Kumar (67) of Mhow, Chandigarh’s Abhijit Singh Chadha (67), Delhi’s Himmat Singh Rai (68) and Bengalurean Khalin Joshi (70).
Reigning champion Ajeetesh Sandhu (67) was bunched together in tied sixth at five-under-137 along with Samarth Dwivedi (68), Angad Cheema (71), first round leader Sameer Shaikh (74), Digvijay Singh (67), M. Dharma (69) and Sri Lankan Anura Rohana (67).
Kolkata-based 19-year-old rookie Viraj Madappa also made an impact at the Hyderabad Golf Club after he returned the day’s best score of seven-under-64. The cut was declared at two-over-144. Fifty professionals made it to the money rounds.
Kunal Bhasin (69-66), a three-time winner on the PGTI, zoomed up from his overnight tied 13th courtesy a brilliant 67 that was punctuated by six birdies and a lone bogey. Kunal earned a birdie for almost driving the green on the 15th and also chipped-in for birdie on the fourth.
Mukesh Kumar (68-67) and Abhijit Singh Chadha (68-67) moved into the joint lead from overnight tied seventh having carded scores of 67. Chadha tapped-in for an eagle on the 10th hole.
Himmat Singh Rai (67-68) birdied all five par-3 holes to gain three places from his overnight tied fourth.
All locals miss the cut
Haider Hussain (74-72), the lone professional from Hyderabad, missed the cut as he totalled four-over-146 to be tied 60th. All six Hyderabad-based amateurs missed the cut as well.
Rahul Ajay was the best performing amateur at eight-over-150. He was placed tied 79th. Ananth Sridhar Reddy scored 11-over-153 to be tied at the 100th spot while Hardik Chawda carded 12-over-154 to finish tied 105th. K. Shashidhar Reddy ended tied 112 with his 14-over-156.
C. Rohan Reddy, who was the best placed among local amateurs at tied 76th on the opening day, slipped to joint 116th after carding 16-over-158. Sankeerth Nidadavolu’s 22-over-164 put him at joint 120th in the 122-player field after four golfers withdrew.
