Tapy Ghai fires 67 to storm into halfway lead at Gujarat Open

Tapy Ghai. Pic: PGTI

Ahmedabad, February 23: Tapy Ghai followed up his first round 66 with a 67 in second round to move into the halfway lead at the Gujarat Open Golf Championship 2022 presented by Gujarat Tourism in the season-opener.

Ghai, who has won once back in 2018, is now 11-under and two shots clear of Delhi’s Kapil Kumar (68-67). Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (68-69) of Chandigarh was placed third at seven-under 137 at the Kalhaar Blues & Greens Golf Club in Ahmedabad.

Delhi’s Arjun Prasad shot the day’s best score of 65 to be bunched in tied fourth along with the Kolkata duo of Shankar Das and Sunit Chowrasia, Chandigarh’s Ranjit Singh and Mysuru’s Yashas Chandra MS at six-under 138.

Karandeep Kochhar, the round one leader, shot a 75 in round two to slip to tied ninth place at five-under 139.

The cut fell at five-over 149. Fifty-one professionals made the cut.

Ghai, lying tied third overnight and two off the lead, had an early bogey on day two on the 11th. However, he recovered ground soon after with birdies on the 12th and 14th, both par-5s, and another birdie on the 15th.

Ghai pushed further ahead on the front-nine sinking a 40-footer for birdie on the third and playing two exceptional bunker shots on the fifth and sixth to pick up a couple of more strokes.

Tapy said, “I didn’t have a great 2021 season. It was below my expectations. So I worked hard on all aspects of my game before the start of the 2022 season. I also put in the hard yards in the gym in order to improve my fitness.

“I have the advantage of good memories from Ahmedabad as I won my first and only title so far in this very city even though it was at a different course. I also played well during the Gujarat Open last year at Kalhaar.

“I played my bunker shots really well today that helped set up two birdie opportunities. Bunker shots have been one of my strengths for quite some time.”

Kapil Kumar mixed six birdies and a bogey to rise four spots to second place.

Arjun Prasad’s flawless round featured a 15-feet eagle conversion on the fifth and five birdies. Arjun landed it within inches of the flag on two occasions including once for a great par save from a tight spot in the hazard on the 15th. Prasad’s 65 helped him climb 28 spots on day two.

Olympian and reigning PGTI Order of Merit champion Udayan Mane missed the cut having totalled six-over 150.

Read also:

Karandeep Kochhar’s 64 gives him first round lead at Gujarat Open Golf

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