Krishnav Nikhil Chopraa, Shaurya Bhattacharya and Aryan Roopa Anand. Pic: AAC
Chonburi, Thailand, Oct 28: Shaurya Bhattacharya and Aryan Roopa Anand, two of India’s most talented amateurs, staged a fine comeback on Day 2 of the 13th Asian Pacific Amateur Championship. They along with Krishnav Nikhil Chopraa were the three Indians to make the cut.
Shaurya shot 4-under 68, while Aryan had a 3-under 69 despite a closing double bogey, on a day which was overcast to begin with but ended with hot and humid conditions. Krishnav Nikhil Chopraa, who started the week with a 2-under 70, carded 1-over 73 on the second day at the Amata Spring Country Club.
Chopraa continued to be the top Indian at T-42nd with a 1-under total while Shaurya (76-68) and Aryan (75-69) at even par were T-47th.
The cut fell at 1-over with Top-50 and ties making the cut. The four Indians missing out were Milind Soni (74-72), Rayhan Thomas (74-73), Shat Mishra (73-75) and Arjun Gupta (74-78).
China’s Bo Jin (65-69), whose brother Cheng won in 2015, stayed on course to adding to the family silverware. He led by one at the midway stage and was chased hard by the teen Thai star, Ratchanon Chantananuwat (67-68).
Bo Jin, a junior at Oklahoma State University, closed with a bogey on ninth, while Chantananuwat, popularly called ‘TK’, birdied the sixth and eagled the eighth from 66-feet plus for a stunning finish.
Aryan, hoping to get into the Nomura Cup team following the pull out of Rayhan Thomas, who is unable to get time off from college in the US, said, “I played great for 17 holes, but a lapse led to a double on the last hole. Still I was happy to pull back with a 69. I hope I can make more ground over the weekend.”
Shaurya, whose coach, Rahul Bajaj, a team silver medallist from 2010 Asian Games, was his caddie, said, “I am proud of the fightback after the first day 76. Especially, the three birdies from 15th to 17th and the way I hung in for the first 13 holes with two birdies and no bogeys. It was great to have my coach, Rahul Sir, on the bag. It helped.”
Krishnav had a good start from the tenth with birdies on 15 and 16. After that many putts did not fall and had just one more birdie on but dropped four bogeys for 73.
A year ago, Bo had a similar 36-hole lead but finished tied third. He said, “I am in a great position and am obviously reminded of Dubai. I have played some great golf so far, and I hope to do the same over the weekend and finish the job. I don’t think I played badly during the weekend in Dubai, but Keita (Nakajima) played much better and won.”
TK said he felt some tightness in his body right from the morning. Yet, he held out well and closed superbly. TK, who confessed he like the attention he gets, “Funnily enough, the last time I had this issue of my body feeling so tight and pain in the neck, was at the SMBC Singapore Open, where four players could get into the 150th Open Championship. And again this week, we are fighting for a place in The Open.”
“I was worried because I could not get full rotation of body. The way I hit the ball at the range and started my round, I honestly was preparing myself for an 80. And because of that, I am so happy with my 68. I am just one behind right now, and hopefully, will be in a better condition to battle it out over the weekend.”
Korea’s Wooyung Cho is tied second at 9-under with ‘TK’ after rounds of 68-67 at the Amata course. There were four players at tied fourth at 8-under and another four at 7-under and tied eighth.
Interestingly the day’s best came from Indonesia’s Randy Bintang, who followed up his first round 79 with a second round 66 for an improvement of 13 shots but still missed the cut by one.
Two countries, Kyrgyzstan and Nepal had their golfers make the cut for the first time at the AAC. Jantai Malatev (73-69), whose country Kyrgyzstan has just one 9-hole golf course, was tied 33rd while Subhash Tamang (74-70) became the first player from Nepal to make the cut. Malatev plays college golf in the US.
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