Kolkata, Oct 30 (NationPress) Aman Raj showcased his vast experience to maintain his lead at the end of a challenging day impacted by heavy rains that made the grounds at the Tollygunge Golf Club soft and soggy during the second day of the IGPL Invitational Kolkata.

Aman concluded his round in near darkness with a score of 3-under 67, achieving a back nine of 3-under as he reached a total of 12-under. He held a three-shot lead over rookie pro Veer Ganapathy, who recorded 1-under 69 in the first round but capitalized on an early start to achieve an impressive 8-under 62 on the second day.

Despite the fading light and challenging conditions, the golfers persevered and managed to complete their rounds. The final group, comprised of leader Aman Raj, Aalaap IL, and Syed Saqib Ahmed, putted out on the 18th hole even when the line for their putts was barely visible.

“Thank God we managed to finish,” Aman remarked with a smile as he exited the course.

Veer, who turned pro at the inaugural IGPL event in Chandigarh, reduced the overnight gap from six to just one when play was suspended for an hour and 48 minutes in the afternoon. At the time of the stoppage, Veer was 8-under through 15 holes, and after resuming play, he parred the last three to end up 9-under for 36 holes.

Aalaap, who had a rocky start with three bogeys in the first seven holes, redeemed himself on the back nine, where he birdied on the 10th, 13th, 15th, and 16th but dropped a shot on the 18th due to poor visibility. Aalaap (65-71) ended up 6-under and tied for third with two-time All India Amateur champion, Aryan Roopa Anand (66-66), both of whom produced impressive and consistent rounds to reach 8-under.

Aryan, who had a strong front nine, finished strongly with three consecutive birdies on the final three holes.

Aman stated, “I was all over the place on the front nine, dropping shots on the third and the ninth. A fantastic chip-in eagle on the seventh saved my front nine, allowing me to turn in par. I was fortunate on the tenth when my ball hit a branch and landed within 10-12 feet. After the stoppage, I managed to sink a birdie.”

His round improved significantly afterward as he secured several pars and birdies. “I made birdies on the 13th and the 17th but missed a couple of easy ones,” Aman added. “Overall, I believe I did well to endure and finish with a 3-under. It was a challenging day overall.”

Veer Ganapathy, emerging as a promising talent, shared, “My putting was solid today. Since my debut at the IGPL, I've been consistent with my tee shots and irons, but putting has fluctuated. Today, everything fell into place, resulting in a good score.”

In 14 rounds since the IGPL commenced, Ganapathy has only recorded one over-par round, which occurred at Jaypee Greens. This young star, coached by his father and former All-India Amateur champion Rahul Ganapathy, feels poised for a win. With a round like the 62 he shot on the second day, he could soon find himself in the winner's circle.

Syed Saqib Ahmed (66-71) and Yashas Chandra (68-67) were tied for fifth at 5-under, while Samarth Dwivedi (67-69) and veteran Ranjit Singh from Chandigarh (69-67) secured a tie for seventh.

Shaurya Binu (71-66), Kartik Sharma (66-71), Aditya Raj Chauhan (66-71), and Raghav Chugh (68-69) rounded out the Top-10.

The leading woman was Ridhima Dilawari (69-70) in Tied-17th place, with Rhea Purvi following at Tied-21st with scores of 68-72. Also tied at 21st was Amandeep Drall (70-70).

The top amateur was Rahul Ravi (70-68), who was tied for 13th alongside Aryav Shah (67-71).

Kartik Singh, the young star, had an eventful front nine with an eagle, three birdies, and four bogeys for a 1-under 33, and on the back nine, he recorded three birdies and one bogey for a 2-under 34. Kartik, who shot 3-over 73 on Day 1, is now even par for two rounds and in a tie for 21st with IGPL Pune winner Kapil Kumar (68-72).