Ludhiana’s Pukhraj Singh Gill and Gurugram’s Manu Gandas struck scores of seven-under 64 to share the lead after the first round in the Vooty & Haldi-sponsored Golconda Masters Telangana Open at the Hyderabad Golf Association (HGA) course here on Thursday.
While the 24-year-old Pukhraj shot the best round of his professional career, 25-year-old Manu continued his impressive run having already posted five top-10s in the season.
The duo was one shot ahead of Mysuru’s Yashas Chandra (65).
Pukhraj’s younger brother Digraj, who had an eagle-two on the 14th during his round, was tied for fourth with a 66 along with Noida’s Amardeep Malik.
Pukhraj, who turned professional in 2018, reaped the benefits of some terrific ball-striking as he bagged three birdies on the first six holes. He then had a quiet stretch till the 14th before going on a birdie blitz on the last four holes to end up with a bogey-free 64.
After being in the bunker on the 17th, Pukhraj salvaged a birdie with a quality up and down. On the 18th too, he managed to pick up a birdie from a tough spot as he chipped-in after hitting his approach over the green.
Manu, who started from the 10th, was slow off the blocks, collecting two birdies and a bogey on the back-nine, but then turned it on with six birdies on the front-nine.
He sank a 22-footer on the third and made exceptional chip-putt birdies after hitting it over the green on the sixth and eighth.
Mane in poor way
PGTI Order of Merit leader, Chandigarh’s Karandeep Kochhar, and the 2019 champion Chikkarangappa of Bengaluru were tied sixth with a 67.
Olympian and defending champion Udayan Mane carded a 74 to be lie tied 83rd.
Among the Hyderabad-based golfers, professional Mohd Azhar (69) and amateur Milind Soni (70) were well-placed at tied 20th and tied 28th respectively.
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