Coimbatore, Aug 15 (IANS): Chandigarh golfer Akshay Sharma built a two-shot lead with a flawless seven-under 65 in round two of the Coimbatore Open 2024, the next leg of the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) being played at the Coimbatore Golf Club here on Thursday. Akshay who had carded a 69 in round one, sat on top of the pack at a total of 10-under 134.
Gurugram’s Manu Gandas (71-65) occupied second place after he too returned an error-free 65 on Thursday. Dubai-based rookie Rayhan Thomas, playing his first event on the PGTI, posted a 67 on day two to be tied for second at a total score of seven-under 137 along with another rookie Shaurya Bhattacharya (71) of Delhi. The 24-year-old Rayhan also had a bogey-free day.
The cut was declared at two-over. Sixty-one professionals made the cut for the money rounds.
Akshay Sharma, lying tied ninth and three off the lead overnight, kickstarted his round with a birdie chip-in on the second. The two-time winner on the PGTI then set up a tap-in for birdie on the par-3 fourth where he struck an excellent tee shot.
The 33-year-old Sharma sank another birdie from close range on the sixth and converted a 12-footer for eagle on the ninth to make the turn at an impressive five-under. His two birdies on the back nine came as a result of a 15-foot conversion and a phenomenal chip that stopped one foot from the hole.
Aadil Bedi shot the week’s lowest round so far, a nine-under 63, that featured 10 birdies and a bogey. Bedi thus gained 88 spots to end the day in tied 25th place. Bedi, who made a bogey after a lost ball on the 12th, got his round going with a birdie on the 14th, a long par-3. He then drained birdies on the next two holes missing a hole-in-one by a whisker on the 16th where the reward for an ace is a Nissan Magnite car. After the turn, Bedi had a run of four straight birdies from the first to the fourth thanks to his excellent ball striking and putting.
Reigning champion Harshjeet Singh Sethie of Delhi was placed tied 49th at two-over 146. None of the Coimbatore-based players made the cut.