Hyderabad: Panchkula’s Angad Cheema was in red hot form for the second day running at the Golconda Masters being played at the Hyderabad Golf Association course here.
The 28-year-old Cheema, yet to drop a bogey in the tournament, followed up his opening round six-under-65 with an even better seven-under-64 in the second round to storm into a commanding four-shot lead at the halfway stage at 13-under-129.
The chasing pack, four shots behind the leader in tied second, consisted of Bengaluru’s Khalin Joshi, who also fired a 64, Gurgaon-based Veer Ahlawat (66), who sank two eagles on day two, the seasoned Mukesh Kumar (66) of Mhow and Ahmedabad-based Udayan Mane (66).
Angad was two-under through seven holes but picked up five shots which included an eagle on the par-5 10th. With an eagle and two birdies he was four-under for the day on the par-5s.
Last year’s runner-up Khalin Joshi (69-64) took a giant leap from overnight tied 19th as a result of his flawless 64. His round featured an eagle on the 10th and five birdies.
Veer Ahlawat (67-66) was one-over through the first five holes but then produced two eagles, both from long range, four birdies and two bogeys to close the day with a 66. Ahlawat missed out on what could have been an incredible third eagle when his 20-feet putt on the eighth hit the flag stick and got deflected.
Mukesh Kumar (67-66) and Udayan Mane (67-66) also carded scores of 66 to take a share of second place along with Joshi and Ahlawat. Round one leader M. Dharma of Bengaluru slipped to tied 10th after a round of 72 took his total to six-under-136. PGTI Order of Merit leader Syed Saqib Ahmed, another Bengalurean, was placed tied 32nd at one-under-141.
