Veer Ahlawat leads in robust native flavour at DGC Open

The Delhi Golf Club has typically been a contented looking floor for Indians, and so it proved within the second spherical of the DGC Open on Friday.

Veer Ahlawat had impressed on Thursday, being one of many uncommon gamers to make a very good begin whereas teeing off within the afternoon. In the second spherical, he made good use of the calmer circumstances within the morning to submit a five-under 67. After his 68 within the first spherical, that gave the 26-year-old a two-shot cushion over compatriot Ajeetesh Sandhu (68). Both Indians had bogey-free rounds on Friday.

Overall, there have been seven Indian names within the top-10 together with three Thai gamers (Nitithorn Thippong, Chanat Sakulpolphaisan and Kasidit Lepkurte – all inside the highest 4) and in a single day co-leader Aussie Travis Smyth, who fell again right into a tie for seventh place after a one-over 73. Shankar Das, who shared the lead after the opening spherical, additionally didn’t have issues go his personal approach as a spherical of 74 noticed him dropping to tied twelfth place.

“Just keep it in play – you don’t have to hit it long off the tee, just keep it in play. The wind was much less today morning than yesterday afternoon,” Ahlawat, nonetheless on the lookout for his maiden title on the Asian Tour, mirrored on his technique after Friday’s spherical.

Post spherical ideas from Veer Ahlawat 🇮🇳@TheDGCOpen #TheDGCOpen #whereitsAT pic.twitter.com/1pUXaVszsR

— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) March 25, 2022

It’s been 5 years since Sandhu tasted success on the tour and he confused on the significance of staying calm on the course. “There were a lot of missed opportunities again. It was tough with the wind. I think you really had to be patient,” the Chandigarh golfer stated.

One of the key movers in Round 2 was Gaganjeet Bhullar, who stormed into competition with a six-under 66. The most profitable Indian on the Asian Tour with 9 victories had 5 birdies in a row at one stage and completed the day in a tie for fourth place at five-under.

“I was just in a good frame of mind. I think this is my best round at the DGC as a pro. I’ve shot 6-under as a junior, as an amateur, but I’ve never shot 6-under as a pro,” Bhullar stated.

Like most different gamers, he felt going out within the morning was a bonus.

“In the morning the greens are very quick and true, but I guess by the day so many people walk and you know the green kind of becomes a little slow,” the 33-year-old from Amritsar stated.

However, one other outstanding Indian and a DGC member Shiv Kapur encountered a harder day with a spherical of 73 that put him in a tie for twenty second spot. That, in itself, was an enchancment on a four-over begin by means of 10 holes. Jeev Milkha Singh and SSP Chawrasia had been additionally among the many 67 golfers to make the lower for the weekend.