Vishwa Samudra Open: Ajeetesh Sandhu Shoots 67 to Extend Lead by Three Strokes
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New Delhi, Dec 11 (NationPress) Acclaimed Indian golfer and international champion Ajeetesh Sandhu delivered an impressive five-under 67 in Round Two, securing a three-shot advantage with a total score of eight-under 136 during the inaugural Vishwa Samudra Open 2024 at the Delhi Golf Club (DGC) on Wednesday.
The golfer from Chandigarh (69-67), returning to one of his favored courses after a significant hiatus, recorded a bogey-free round to rise from a tied second position in the INR 2 crore prize-money tournament.
Meanwhile, Manish Thakran of Gurugram (69-70), also tied for second overnight, achieved a remarkable hole-in-one on the 12th hole during his round of 70, elevating him to sole second place at five-under 139.
Jamal Hossain from Bangladesh, who led after Round One, fell to third place at four-under 140 after posting a 73 in the second round. The cut was set at five-over 149, allowing fifty-one professionals to advance.
The 27 players who had not completed their first round on Tuesday resumed their play at 7 am on Wednesday while Round Two started simultaneously. Jamal Hossain had concluded the first round as the leader by two strokes.
Ajeetesh Sandhu, starting from the 10th tee on Wednesday, consistently found fairways and greens, never appearing in a challenging situation throughout his round. He made key putts from 10 and 8 feet for birdies on the 10th and 18th holes, respectively. On the front nine, the 36-year-old added three more birdies, showcasing his exceptional tee and iron shots.
Sandhu, who registered the best score of the day, commented, “A bogey-free round at DGC is only achievable when you hit a lot of fairways. I accomplished that today. I was solid off the tee, executed a good game plan, and struck precise iron shots. I positioned myself well, only finding the rough a couple of times just off the fairways, resulting in limited opportunities for heroics today. Overall, it was a solid performance.”
He further added, “Returning to a venue where you’ve performed well brings back great memories, and it’s beneficial to have those thoughts while playing. It certainly aids in executing shots. The familiarity with DGC gives me an edge.”
Manish Thakran, striving to maintain his card in the final full-field event of the season, was performing exceptionally until the 15th hole, where he scored a hole-in-one along with four birdies and two bogeys. However, he stumbled toward the end with a bogey-birdie-double-bogey finish on the last three holes.
Thakran expressed, “I capitalized on my putting strength during the first two days and played aggressively. Even the double bogey on the final hole stemmed from my natural inclination to aim for the pins in pursuit of better scores. Making my first hole-in-one in a tournament was an incredible confidence booster as I head into the last rounds.”
Rashid Khan (71) was tied for fourth at three-under 141 alongside Dhruv Sheoran (69), Sudhir Sharma (72), and M Dharma (72). Veteran SSP Chawrasia (68) concluded the day tied for 10th at one-under 143. PGTI Ranking leader Veer Ahlawat was another shot back, tied for 16th place.
