Rookie Gangjee steals show at HT Pro Golf

Calcutta's Rahil Gangjee had the entire limelight to himself for the first time in his fledgling career, when he shot a superb six-under 65 to steal a two-stroke lead over overnight leader and city-mate SSP Chowrasia at the mid-way stage of the Rs 600,000 HT Pro Golf 2001 – Lucknow, being played at the par-71, 6,461-yard Lucknow Golf Course on Friday. Rahil’s two-round tally stood at nine-under 133.

The Hindustan Times -sponsored tournament is the eighth-leg of the Hero Honda Golf Tour’s 2001-02 season.

While S S P Chowrasia was second at seven-under 135, local hero Vijay Kumar was tied with arch rival Mukesh Kumar at third position and an aggregate of five-under 137. Defending champion Shiv Prakash was tied 16th at one-over 143.

The cut was applied at 11-over 153 with 52 pros making it to the money-making round.

Rahil Gangjee has his goals well defined. In just his first season, on the Tour, he has already achieved the goal he set out to when he started off.

"I wanted to have at least three top-ten finishes this season."

Gangjee finished seventh at the Cotton City Open and tenth each at the Hyundai-MGC Open and last week’s Hero Golf Chandigarh Open. "Having achieved that, I now aim to finish in the top-five as many times as I can. I also want to win a tournament this season," said the Calcuttan.

Well in line for the year ending ‘Rookie of the Year’ award, the 22-year old golfer heads fellow rookie Sheeraz Kalra by 18.5 points in the race for the award and the accompanying Rs 150,000 cheque.

Today, Gangjee was in exemplary form. Starting with a birdie, he went on to stud his card with six more on the 3rd, 6th, 10th, 12th, 13th and 16th.

"I hit the ball great today. In fact I missed a hole-in one on the par-3 13th, where my tee shot hit the flag with the ball coming to rest ten feet from the pin."

However, an unfortunate bogey on his final hole defaced his near perfect card. "I want to take full advantage of my form and try to win this tournament," said Gangjee, who was India’s top ranked amateur before he turned pro early this year.

S S P Chowrasia played intelligently on Friday. Having taken early advantage with an opening round 67, the diminutive Calcuttan played it safe.

"My experience tells me that once you gain the initial advantage, it is stupid to take risks and throw it away. I played it safe today but tomorrow and the day after I will attack," said the ‘99 Indian Open joint-runner up.

Chowrasia’s round of two-under 69 included birdies on the 3rd, 7th and 11th and a lone bogey on the 17th.

Though Vijay Kumar played to three-under 68 today, he was a shade disappointed.

"I missed as many as five birdie putts from seven feet or less," he said. However, that still didn’t prevent the champion golfer from birdying the 1st, 7th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 16th. Vijay’s bogeys came on the 8th, 9th and 17th.

"It has been a strange experience on Tour this season. I am used to winning tournaments relatively consistently. This has been my longest dry spell," said the 31-year old, who last won the KGC Open in Dhaka in February 2001.

"I am playing with a new set, a H-14 Callaway, and that has brought back some crispness into my game. I look forward to returning to my winning ways here," he said.

Mukesh Kumar played to two-under 69 with birdies on the 3rd, 6th and 12th and a bogey on the 5th.

"I putted really poorly today," said the golfer, who currently leads the Order of Merit by over Rs 2 lakhs.

Nath continues to lead amateur field: Arindam Nath returned his second successive score of three-over 74 to continue to lead the amateur category at six_over 148. Rishi Khanna was second at 151.

Scores (after 36 holes):133_Rahil Gangjee (68, 65); 135_Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (66, 69)s 137_Vijay Kumar (69,68), Mukesh Kumar (68,69); 138_Rohtas Singh (71,67); 139_Jumman (68,71); 140_Sanjay Kumar (71,69); 141_Jaiveer Virk (73,68), Rafiq Ali (69,72), Zai Kipgen (67,74).

Amateurs: 148_Arindam Nath (74,74); 151_Rishi Khanna (75,76).