Baisoya climbs to top spot

Defending champion Honey Baisoya posted a solid three-under 69 to establish a one-shot lead in Round Two of the PGTI Players Championship at the Noida Golf Course near here on Wednesday, displaying the sort of form that had helped him win here last year. Delhi-based Baisoya’s total read nine-under-135 at the halfway stage of the `30 lakh event, while first round leader Aman Raj (71) of Patna slipped to second at eight-under-136.

The cut fell at three-over-147 with 57 professionals making the money rounds.

Baisoya, a three-time winner on the PGTI, dropped shots on the 11th and 13th holes, before rallying with consecutive birdies on the 14th, 15th and 16th where he came up with some outstanding wedge shots.

The 21-year-old, who made the turn at even-par after a bogey on the 18th, produced a flawless front-nine, adding three more birdies to his card to end up with an imposing nine-under.

Aman Raj (65-71) too had a slow start like Baisoya as he dropped a couple of strokes on the first five holes.

He was thereafter denied birdies as his putts lipped out on multiple occasions. But he turned it around with a chip-in birdie on the seventh.

That was followed by two more on the eighth and ninth.

Bengaluru’s Udayan Mane closed the round in third place at seven-under-137.