Gupta surges ahead with blistering 64

Chandigarh golfer Harendra Gupta fired a eight-under-64 to open up a four-shot lead at the TATA Steel PGTI Feeder Tour event at the Aravalli Golf Course, here on Wednesday.

Nine-time winner Gupta's incredible round featured two eagles-twos, six birdies and a double-bogey. He is now 10-under-134.

There was a three-way tie for second place at six-under-138 between Chandigarh-based rookies Amrit Lal (72) and Shabeg Singh Kooner (69) and Sri Ganganagar's Sandeep Singh (69).

The cut was declared at six-over-150. Thirty-eight golfers made the cut for the third and final round.

(70-64), who was overnight tied ninth, leapfrogged the rest of the field thanks to his outstanding wedge play. He was one-over through four holes after a double-bogey on the fourth where he hit a poor bunker shot and followed that up with a missed putt from two feet.

 

However, Gupta made a tremendous recovery that began with birdies on the eighth and ninth. He landed his approach within inches of the flag on the ninth. A couple of quality chip-putts earned him two more birdies on the 11th and 12th.

He picked up five shots on the last three holes. On the 16th he holed his second shot from 65 yards and on the 17th he again holed his second shot, this time from the bunker, from 30 yards, to pick up consecutive eagle-twos.

Gupta capped the round with another terrific wedge shot from 120 yards on the 18th that resulted in a four feet birdie conversion.

Teenager Amrit Lal, the round one leader, slipped one spot on Wednesday after returning a 72.

Delhi's Sachin Baisoya carded an error-free seven-under-65 to take a share of fifth place at five-under-139 along with another Delhi golfer Jaiveer Singh Atwal (72).

Gurugram's Kushal Singh sank two eagle-twos during his round of 70. He ended the second round in tied 10th at three-under-141.

The two Faridabad golfers, Abhinav Lohan (four-under-140) and Ramesh Kumar (one-under-143) were placed tied seventh and tied 12th respectively.