Open Amateur golf: Piyush extends lead
Gurgaon, Feb 20 : Piyush Sangwan extended his lead to five shots at the end of the half-way stage of the Tata Steel Northern India Open Amateur Golf Championship, the second event of the Tata Steel Indian Amateur Golf Tour being played at the Jack Nicklaus designed Classic Golf Resort here on Wednesday.
Piyush added a 2-under par 70 to his overnight 4-under to lead the tournament at 6-under 138.
Manav Das who shot a 1-ovef par 73 today was second at 143. Winner of the season opener last week Syed Sadiq Ahmed with a well compiled 71 for a two-day total of 144 moved up to the join-third position with Samarth Dwivedi at 144.
Shakti Singh was fifth at 146 while Trishul Chinappa was sixth at 147. As many as three players - Giriraj Singh Khadka, Udayan mane and Varoon Parmar shared the seventh position at 148.
The 14-year-old Piyush who has been one of the top juniors of the country played some superb golf after beginning from the 10th. The Delhi lad flirted with birdies before finally managing to convert one on the last hole of his front nine.
With a brilliant run of pars, Piyush marched ahead and made consecutive birdies on the sixth and seventh to be three-under for the day. A bogey on the finishing hole was the only blemish on the young lad's card.
'I have been playing well. I could have ended with a much better score but I failed to convert a few small putts. However I have no complaints as long as I don't end up losing shots," said Piyush.
"I still have two rounds to go and hopefully should be holding the crown at the end of the 72nd hole," he added.
Top scores after 36 holes
138 Piyush Sangwan (68, 70); 143 Manav Das (70, 73), 144 Syed Saqib Ahmed (73, 71), Samarth Dwivedi (70, 74); 146 Shakti Singh (72, 74); 147 Trishul Chinnappa (74, 73); 148 Giriraj Singh Khadka (75, 73), Udayan Mane (72, 76), Varoon Parmar (71, 77); 149 SK Lakra (73, 76), Simarjeet Singh (73, 76); 150 Gunvir Rana (75, 75), Ankur Chadha (74, 76), Manu Gandas (72, 78); 151 Karan Taunk (80, 71), Feroz Singh Garewal (75, 76), Harimohan Singh (73, 78), Viraj Madappa (72, 79)