Is India’s Mahreen Bhatia Set to Win Again at the US Kids World Teen Championship?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Mahreen Bhatia delivers a stellar 5-under 67 in the second round.
- She has maintained her podium presence for two consecutive years.
- Vihaan Jain drops from the lead to T-13 after a challenging second round.
- Arshvant Srivastava shows resilience despite setbacks.
- Indian participants continue to demonstrate strong performances.
Pinehurst (USA), July 26 (NationPress) - Mahreen Bhatia from India, a regular on the podium over the past two years, is poised for yet another remarkable finish. She delivered a stunning bogey-free score of 5-under 67, catapulting her into second place after two rounds in the Girls 15-18 Category of the US Kids World Teen Championship held at Pinehurst. With one round remaining, anticipation is high.
Mahreen, a multiple medallist at various international competitions, recorded three birdies and two bogeys in her first round. However, she showcased her exceptional form in the second round, achieving five birdies without any setbacks. Her birdies came on the second, fourth, sixth, eighth, and fourteenth holes, bringing her total to 6-under 138 on the Pinehurst 5 course.
Her score of 67 was the equal best of the day, matched only by the leader, American Kady Matsumoto (68-67).
In the Boys 15-18 category, Vihaan Jain, who led with a score of 67, faced a dramatic setback in his second round, finishing with a 78 and sliding down to T-13. In his first round, he achieved six birdies and one bogey, but in the second round, he managed only one birdie against seven bogeys, ending with a 6-over 78 at Pinehurst No. 8.
Arshvant Srivastava, another Indian regular at the US Kids World Championship, encountered a heartbreaking triple bogey on a Par-5 during his second round but rebounded to score 3-over 75 following a first round of 71. Currently, he sits at T-20, having dropped from T-9 after Day 1.
Arshvant’s second round included four birdies, four bogeys, and that unfortunate triple bogey.
Among the other Indian participants in the Girls 15-18 category, Ayesha Gupta (73-73) is now T-12th, falling two spots from her initial tenth position, while Asara Sawhney (74-75) is at T-24, down one spot from her first round.
In the Girls 13 category, Anushka Gupta (78-76) is T-12th, improving by five places from her Day 1 performance.