Pukhraj Singh, Tapendra Ghai, and Honey Baisoya Lead First Round at Calance Open
Click to start listening
Synopsis
Pukhraj Singh, Tapendra Ghai, and Honey Baisoya lead the first round of the Calance Open 2025 with scores of six-under 64. Notable performances include birdies and strategic gameplay at the Qutab Golf Course after a long absence of PGTI events.
Key Takeaways
- Pukhraj Singh Gill shares the lead with Tapendra Ghai and Honey Baisoya.
- The event features a total prize pool of Rs 1 crore.
- Five players follow closely behind at five-under 65.
- The course is hosting its first PGTI event in 15 years.
- Pukhraj emphasizes the importance of course management.
New Delhi, April 15 (NationPress) Ludhiana’s Pukhraj Singh Gill, Gurugram’s Tapendra Ghai, and Delhi’s Honey Baisoya each scored six-under 64 to share the lead after the first round of the Rs 1 crore Calance Open 2025, taking place at the Qutab Golf Course in New Delhi.
Five players are tied for fourth place with scores of five-under 65 on the Par-70 course, which is hosting a PGTI event for the first time in 15 years. The players at 65 include Chandigarh’s Yuvraj Sandhu, who made birdies on his last four holes, alongside fellow Chandigarh golfer Karandeep Kochhar, Badal Hossain from Bangladesh, Delhi’s Kapil Kumar, and Kolkata’s Shankar Das.
The 28-year-old Pukhraj Singh Gill, who was also the first-round leader in last week’s PGTI event in Ahmedabad, faced a tough start on Tuesday after making an early bogey on the 12th hole. However, he rebounded strongly with birdies on the 15th and 16th holes, finishing the turn at one-under.
Seeking his first title, Pukhraj added five more birdies on the front nine, showcasing excellent driving, precise pitching, and consistently reliable short to mid-range putting.
Pukhraj remarked, “This is my first professional event at Qutab Golf Course since I played here as a junior around 15 years ago. The course has undergone significant changes and now presents many more challenges. The fairways are narrow, making it a risk-reward course that requires excellent course management.”
He continued, “I excelled at the short Par-4s today, thanks to my solid drives, pitches, and putting, especially from five to ten feet. My past experiences have taught me not to overexert myself after a good start. The more I lead, the more I learn how to manage these situations.”
Both Honey Baisoya and Tapendra Ghai, who are from the DLF Golf & Country Club, were co-leaders on the first day. While Honey managed a bogey-free round, Tapendra recorded eight birdies and two bogeys.
Honey converted two birdies from distances of 12 to 15 feet but missed two eagle chances from 10 feet. A notable moment in his round was a remarkable par-save from 15 feet on the 17th, where he encountered difficulties with his first two shots.
Chandigarh-based 15-year-old amateur Neil Jolly shot a 68, making him the highest-placed amateur at tied 23rd.
Delhi’s Sachin Baisoya, the previous week’s winner in Ahmedabad and currently second on the PGTI Order of Merit, finished with a 73, placing him tied 95th.
