New Yorker Julian Suri is just 36 holes from his second European Tour victory after jumping into the lead in the $1.175 million Hero Indian Open.
Suri returned a second consecutive 67, 5-under-par, around DLF Golf and Country Club in New Delhi to move to 10 under. He’s two shots ahead of Sweden’s Robert Karlsson and George Coetzee of South Africa.
The 27-year-old missed the cut last year after scoring 76 and 82, which means a 24-shot improvement 12 months later.
“I’m definitely a better golfer this year,” Suri said. “There’s been big improvements. I’m definitely better. Stronger and mentally.”
Suri, who makes his home in St Augustine, Fla., started on the 10th tee and racked up eight pars and one bogey by the time he got to the turn. However, he had an eagle, five birdies and only one dropped shot on his back nine.
“I put the foot down but I had the same mind set I had on the first nine,” he said. “I hit it really well the whole day and I just tried to free it up a little bit on the second nine with my putting.
“I hit a lot of good shots and gave myself a ton of chances on the first nine and none of them dropped, particularly with speed and not hitting them hard enough. So, just try to free it up and putt with feel like I normally do.
“I’ve been playing well. I knew I was playing well even though my score didn’t show it over the first nine holes. I just had to keep plugging away, keep staying patient and free it up a little on the greens.”
The former Duke player is making only his second start of 2019 after undergoing surgery on an abdominal hernia. He finished T20 in last week’s Maybank Championship.
Suri’s first European Tour win came in the 2017 Made in Denmark. He’s bidding to become the fifth American winner on this year’s European Tour after Kurt Kitayama, David Lipsky, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson.
Karlsson is getting back to full-time golf after acting as one of Thomas Bjorn’s vice captains in last year’s European Ryder Cup victory. The 49-year-old is chasing his 12th European Tour victory, and first since the 2010 Dubai World Championship. Coetzee is chasing his third and first outside of South Africa.
