Kapil, Akshay take joint lead on Day 1, Shubhankar tied 11
NUH, HARYANA: India’s top golfer Shubhankar Sharma, returning on the PGTI after a gap of more than a year, carded a two-under-70 to be placed 11th even as Delhi’s Kapil Kumar and Chandigarh’s Akshay Sharma shot fiveunder-67 to be in joint lead on the opening day of the PGTI Players Championship at the Classic Golf & Country Club Tuesday.
Two more Delhi golfers, Himmat Singh Rai and Naman Dawar, and Kolkata’s Sunit Chowrasia were tied for third at four-under-68.
Twenty-six-year old Kapil, who last year had finished 18th on the PGTI Order of Merit, made the turn at two-under after coming close making birdies on a few holes. Kapil, who is yet to win a tournament, recovered after a bogey on the 12th as he sank eagle-birdie-birdie on the 14th, 15th and 16th. He finally ended Day 1 on 67 after a bogey and a birdie on the last two holes.
“It was the driving and putting that clicked for me today. I also played some good chips. The fourunder on the last five holes helped me close the day high on confidence. Putting will be the key this week. Whoever grabs most opportunities on the greens is set to score well,” Kapil said.
“I’m carrying forward the positives from last season which was quite decent for me since I posted three top-6 finishes. I’ll look to perform even better this year.”
BASHEER SCORES EIGHT
NEW DELHI: Horse & Wagon defeated APRC 11-4 ½ in a league match of the Jiwaji Rao Scindia Gold Cup here on Tuesday. Polo stalwart Basheer Ali scored a whopping eight goals. In other league matches, Rajnigandha Achievers overcame Jindal Panther 4-3, while Aravali Polo-garcha Group got the better of Sona Polo 6-5. Angad Kalaan scored three for the winners.
EX-DELHI CRICKETER LUTHRA NO MORE
NEW DELHI: Former Delhi fast bowler and selector Suresh Luthra died on Tuesday. He was 74 and had been ill for some time. He played 67 first-class matches between 1965 and 1978 for Delhi, Punjab, Northern Punjab and North Zone, taking 262 wickets.