Coal India Open: Jamal Hossain leads by 2 shots after 54-hole cut
Synopsis
Jamal Hossain turned a rain-interrupted second round into a masterclass in wet-weather golf — two chip-ins, a lucky 18th-hole reprieve, and a seven-under 63 have the 41-year-old Bangladeshi holding a two-shot lead at his favourite Tollygunge Club. With the Coal India Open cut to 54 holes, he goes into Friday's final round with form, course familiarity, and a weather-shortened title already on his CV.
Key Takeaways
Jamal Hossain leads the Coal India Open at 12-under 128 after a seven-under 63 in round two at Tollygunge Club, Kolkata .
Rain disruptions have reduced the tournament to 54 holes ; the final round is on Friday with a shotgun start.
Kshitij Naveed Kaul is second at 10-under 130 ; Akshay Sharma and Ajeetesh Sandhu share third at nine-under 131 .
Hossain's eagle chip-in on the par-five 13th and a lucky boundary rebound on the 18th were the pivotal moments of his round.
The cut fell at one-over 141 , with 57 of 132 professionals advancing to the final round.
Hossain previously won the 2025 Telangana Golconda Masters — also a rain-reduced 54-hole event.
Bangladeshi golfer Jamal Hossain fired a seven-under 63 on Thursday, 13 August to seize a two-shot lead at the Coal India Open at Tollygunge Club in Kolkata, after weather disruptions forced organisers to reduce the PGTI Tour event to 54 holes.
Leaderboard After Round 2
Hossain, ranked 12th on the PGTI Rankings, stands at 12-under 128 (65-63) following a round that featured seven birdies, an eagle, and two bogeys. Delhi's Kshitij Naveed Kaul (64-66) sits in second place at 10-under 130, having held the overnight clubhouse lead. Chandigarh's Akshay Sharma (66-65) and Ajeetesh Sandhu (63-68) share third at nine-under 131. Sandhu, a former Asian Tour winner, endured multiple weather stoppages before completing his two-under 68. Current DP World PGTI Rankings leader Saptak Talwar (67-65), first-round leader and 2023 rankings champion Om Prakash Chouhan (62-70), and University of South Florida graduate Shubham Jaglan (67-65) are tied fifth at eight-under 132.
How Hossain Took Control
The 41-year-old, a six-time winner on the DP World PGTI, began his second round three shots behind first-round leader Chouhan and was tied fifth when heavy rain halted play on Wednesday. He returned Thursday to complete his remaining holes and moved clear of the field. Two chip-ins — on the eighth and the par-five 13th — were the defining moments. The chip-in on the 13th converted into an eagle and effectively handed him the lead.
'I chipped in twice, on the eighth and 13th, so I'm very happy with the round,' Hossain said. 'The course was soft, and the ball was not travelling as much after landing, which made hitting fairways very important.'
He credited his driving as the decisive factor in the wet conditions, estimating he missed only two or three fairways all round. 'I drove the ball really well and found most of the fairways. That made a big difference in these conditions,' he said.
A Lucky Escape on the 18th
Hossain's most fortunate moment arrived at the par-three 18th, where his five-iron tee shot veered right and struck the out-of-bounds boundary before rebounding back into play. He saved par from there. 'I was lucky on the 18th because the ball came back into play after hitting the boundary,' he said. 'I managed to save par, and that changed the momentum of my round. I played very well after that.'
Hossain's Tollygunge Comfort and Weather-Shortened Pedigree
The Bangladeshi has previously won at Tollygunge Club and describes the Kolkata venue as his favourite. 'Whenever I play at Tollygunge Club, it feels like my home course,' he said. 'I'll go out tomorrow and try to do my best.' Notably, Hossain also has recent experience of closing out a weather-shortened tournament — he captured the 2025 Telangana Golconda Masters in Hyderabad after rain reduced that event to 54 holes as well.
Final Round Details and Cut
The third and final round is scheduled for Friday with a shotgun start. The cut fell at one-over 141, with 57 professionals from the original field of 132 advancing. Among local players, Kolkata's Divyanshu Bajaj was the highest-placed, tied 19th at three-under 137. With Hossain's proven record at this venue and in shortened formats, Friday's finale promises a compelling finish.
Point of View
Slow conditions separated him from a field that struggled to adapt. The real subplot is Om Prakash Chouhan's collapse from first-round leader to tied fifth, a reminder that weather-shortened formats punish inconsistency mercilessly. With Sandhu and Talwar — both seasoned closers — within four shots, Friday's shotgun start will test whether Hossain's Tollygunge comfort translates under final-round pressure.
NationPress
14 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is leading the Coal India Open after round 2?
Jamal Hossain leads the Coal India Open at 12-under 128 after carding a seven-under 63 in the second round at Tollygunge Club, Kolkata. He holds a two-shot advantage over Kshitij Naveed Kaul, who is second at 10-under 130.
Why has the Coal India Open been reduced to 54 holes?
Heavy rain forced the suspension of the second round on Wednesday, causing significant weather disruptions. Organisers reduced the tournament from 72 to 54 holes as a result, with the final round scheduled for Friday.
When is the final round of the Coal India Open 2025?
The third and final round will be played on Friday, 15 August 2025, with a shotgun start at Tollygunge Club in Kolkata.
Who is Jamal Hossain and what is his record on the PGTI Tour?
Jamal Hossain is a 41-year-old Bangladeshi golfer and a six-time winner on the DP World PGTI Tour. He is currently ranked 12th in the PGTI Rankings and has previously won at Tollygunge Club. He also won the 2025 Telangana Golconda Masters, another rain-reduced 54-hole event.
Who made the cut at the Coal India Open?
The cut fell at one-over 141, with 57 professionals from the original field of 132 advancing to the final round. Kolkata's Divyanshu Bajaj was the highest-placed local player, tied 19th at three-under 137.
