Scores here show small mistakes can cost dear

Many Indian players who live in the National Capital Region often play at the DLF Golf and Country Club and should know the dangers it holds. But it was Emiliano Grillo who tamed the course. I have said before that this course is tough but not unfair. It expects you to play correctly but if you are slightly off, it can make a scorecard look very average. Small mistakes can cost dear.

I believe Grillo called his round a ‘perfect one’ and also that his 65 here could well have been a 59 elsewhere. The other player who was impressive was Ajeetesh Sandhu, whose 4-under 68 was the best Indian card. I was talking to some other players who said he was nearly flawless. Jeev spoke highly of him. He has seen him and plays with him in Chandigarh.

On this course, the two key aspects are finding the fairways and then making the putts, especially when you are in the 10-15 foot range. Both Grillo and Sandhu seemed to have done that.

When I heard about the 65, I was astounded, but on hindsight, the conditions were excellent for scoring. On this course, when the things are rolling for you, there are bunches of birdies coming up together. That’s what did the trick for all the guys who scored low. Grillo had eight birdies.

Pablo Larrazabal had nine birdies and Matteo Manassserro, who did well at this course last year, seems to have remembered all the pitfalls at this course and he stayed clear of them.