ROUND 1
SCORESHEET

Jaipur, April 30, 2009: Raju Ali Mollah (67, 65) of Kolkata and Delhi-based amateur Rashid Khan (67, 65) are the joint leaders after round two of the PGTI Players Championship presented by Rambagh Golf Club. Mollah and Khan have an identical total of eight under 132 at the halfway stage. Vikrant Chopra, Kunal Bhasin and Himmat Singh Rai are tied third at three under 137.

Raju Ali Mollah

The cut was declared at five over 145. Fifty-two professionals and two amateurs made the cut.

Raju Ali Mollah produced seven birdies and two bogeys in his superb effort of five under 65 on day two. Mollah made the turn at one under after dropping a bogey on the third and sinking birdies on the fifth and eighth. The Kolkata golfer hit top gear on the back nine as he fired six birdies (10th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th).

“All aspects of my game seem to be coming together this week. I am in good hitting and putting form and am looking forward to the weekend rounds. Today, I had a fantastic stretch from the 14th to the 17th where I made four consecutive birdies. My best birdie came on the 12th where I sank a tricky downhill birdie putt from six feet,” said Mollah.

Rashid Khan, the teenage golfing sensation from Delhi, began his round on a high as he birdied the first hole. Even though he went on to drop bogeys on the next two holes, Rashid regained momentum with birdies on the fourth and fifth. He made the turn at two under after making another birdie on the seventh. Rashid then came up with three more birdies on the 10th, 16th, 17th to close the day at five under 65.

Rashid said, “I think I have been able to shoot such low numbers because I know the course well, having won an amateur event here about two months back. My putting has also been exceptional over the last two days. Today, I made an incredible 40 feet birdie putt on the 16th. I also had a very good par save on the eighth where I sank a 20-footer.”

Vikrant Chopra (69, 68), Kunal Bhasin (67, 70) and Himmat Singh Rai (66, 71) share third place at three under 137.

Ashok Kumar, Gurbaaz Mann and Harmeet Kahlon are a further stroke behind in tied sixth.

Jaipur’s Vishal Singh (66, 73) dropped to tied ninth as he totaled one under 139.

SCORESHEET

 

Rashid Khan