S Chikkarangappa loved a bogey-free day to card six-under (overall 10-under) and leap from an in a single day tied-sixth to solo lead on Day 2 of the $750,000 DGC Open in New Delhi on Friday. He now holds a three-stroke benefit over compatriot Rashid Khan who made bogeys at the fifteenth and 18th holes however controlled to carry directly to his moment spot beneath overcast stipulations.
“The course was a lot softer and it was much easier to attack the flags. If the greens get firmer and it’s sunny, it plays a lot more difficult, so I would say luck was on my side with the weather,” Chikkarangappa stated.
The 29-year-old got here into the contest at the again of a tied-sixth end on the International Series Thailand final week, and confirmed the boldness.
“I am in a good form, for sure. Last week’s performance in Thailand has given me a lot of confidence. Of course, the cool weather helped me throughout the round,” he added.
Teeing off from the again 9, Chikka birdied the tenth, twelfth, 14th, and fifteenth holes to set the tone. Things bogged down just a little after that however Chikka ensured he did not drop a shot. He closed the day with consecutive birdies at the 8th and 9th to keep away from the sphere.
“I missed a few putts in my back nine (holes 1-9) but then I made birdies on the last two holes. Overall, six birdies with 12 pars is an amazing result.”
“I’ve been putting really well. My caddy and I decided to just try and hit the fairways, and I’ll take it from there,” stated Chikka who totally avoided his motive force at the day to seek out extra fairways.
Rashid, the most efficient Indian in view on Wednesday, shot two-under to complete with an general seven-under. The 32-year-old had previous wired the significance of getting bogey-free days however ended up losing pictures at the fifteenth and 18th holes. Birdies at the 8th, twelfth, thirteenth, and seventeenth ensured he stored his moment spot earlier than the skilled Om Prakash Chouhan joined him later within the day.
Chouhan, who has had two top-10 finishes out of 3 begins at the PGTI excursion this yr, used to be in a single day T-11 thank you in large part to a Sixteenth-hole bogey that ended his possibilities of a imaginable top-five end. He used to be extra wary on Day 2, eliminating the motive force and depending on his irons to hit the vegetables.
“It is a course where even the smallest mishit can lead to a bogey. I missed just one fairway today (on hole 9) when I hit the ball left, got my second shot into the bunker, and made a great up and down from there,” the 36-year-old from Mhow stated.
“Things are going according to my plan and for the first time on this course, probably because I play and practice at Kalhaar in Ahmedabad, where the conditions and the green speeds are very similar.”
“I did miss quite a few putts for birdie but overall, I’m very happy with the way I have played so far. The greens are quite hard but the fairways are playing soft so these are good conditions for us. I did think it It might rain but that has also not happened so far,” he stated.
The skilled bunch of Gaganjeet Bhullar, Jyoti Randhawa, Shiv Kapur, and SSP Chawrasia have been some of the 24 Indians who made the lower.
Defending champion Nitithorn Thippong and his Thai compatriot Sadom Kaewkanjana additionally ended with seven-under to complete tied-second.
