Chandarjeet Yadav seizes 2nd round lead

LUCKNOW : Haryana’s Chandarjeet Yadav returned the day’s joint best score of five-under-65 to seize the second round lead at the PGTI Feeder Tour event being played at the Lucknow Golf Club here on Thursday. Yadav totaled four-under-136.

Local challenger Amardeep Rawat, playing at his home course, matched Yadav’s 65 to end the day one shot behind him in second place at three-under137.

Chandarjeet Yadav (71-65), who was overnight tied 10th, worked his way to the top of the leaderboard with an error-free round that featured some brilliant chip-putts.

Chandarjeet, currently ninth on the Feeder Tour Order of Merit thanks to his two top-10s this season, capitalized on all four par-5s on Thursday, the third, seventh, 12th and 16th, with the help of his sharp shortgame. The 23-year-old, who turned professional in 2015, also sank an 11-footer for birdie on the 11th.

“Firing 15 greens in regulation made all the difference for me today. In round one, I had fewer regulations and also missed chip-putts from around the green. My hitting and chipping was excellent today,” Yadav said.

Amardeep Rawat (72-65), like Yadav, also took a giant leap on day two, as he climbed from overnight tied 10th to second position and thus kept the local interest alive.

The 30-year-old Rawat, currently 10th in the Feeder Tour rankings as a result of one top-10 this season, rallied with six birdies after an early bogey on the second.

Amardeep drained five birdies on the back-nine which included a chip-in on the 13th. He charged within one shot of the lead with two birdies on the last three holes.

Karnal’s Maniram produced an eagle-two during his round of 67 which placed him third at twounder-138.