Indian Open golf: Defending champion Nakajima blazes through front nine to take joint lead with Chacarra; Indians fall away | Golf News
With the halfway cut score standing as high as six-over par, the joint-highest it has ever been since the Hero Indian Open moved to the DLF Golf and Country Club course in Gurugram in 2017, two days of unforgiving golf have proven that the low scores this tricky course saw at this event last year were likely an exception, not the new norm.
But defending champion Keita Nakajima proved that his blend of aggression and control that was so successful last year was no exception. The 24-year-old from Japan rebounded from an off day that saw him tied-67th on Thursday after shooting a two-over 74 to take the joint-clubhouse lead, alongside Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra, after a sensational round of golf on Friday.
There was no shortage of highlight reel-worthy moments from the young Japanese. Back-to-back birdies were made on the third and fourth hole with a 40-foot putt and an excellent chip out of the rough. On the par four ninth hole, Nakajima’s all-round prowess was laid bare after a massive tee shot, an expert chip and a well-executed putt on the green made way for a seventh birdie in nine holes to leave his score seven under par on the day, as he surged up the leaderboard.
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His aggression would catch up with him, Nakajima ended his second round with a six-under 66 after hitting three bogeys on the back nine, but a total of nine birdies on a course that saw his opponents struggle extensively showed how he has formed the blueprint to do well in these conditions.
“My mindset changed (on Friday). This is a tough course but a fun course. My caddie and I were talking about playing it like a fun course. Just keep patient, and keep smiling. That was good,” Najakima would say.
Nakajima would be aware that his job is hardly done yet, having to make up for a lackluster opening day. Only a few bad holes can see one drop sharply on the leaderboard at the DLF G&CC. Thursday’s joint-leader, Nicolas Colsaerts, just about made the cut after a dismal round of 10-over 82 – inclusive of two double bogeys and two triple bogeys – that saw him fall to tied-58th.
Chacarra, too, will be on his heels. After finishing tied-10th on Thursday, the Spaniard started in similarly aggressive form, with four birdies in the first five holes, before a couple of makes saw him taper off to a second successive round of 70. The joint-leaders did have quite a bit in common.Story continues below this ad
“I was just trying to have fun, to just get a plan with my caddy and try to just stick to that plan. Even though the course just asks you for another thing or another plan, it’s just tough,” Chacarra said after his round on Friday.
Home challenge faltering
A hefty 30 Indians were part of the field at the national open, only 12 of whom made the cut on Friday, with none in the top 20.The top performers were those that kept makes at bay. Gaganjeet Bhullar, India’s second-highest ranked golfer, finished the day tied-20th after following up his even par round on Thursday with an equally steady one-over 73. After finishing the first round in tied-fourth, Ajeetesh Sandhu tumbled down the leaderboard to tied-25th, alongside Shiv Kapur and Aman Raj, with a score of two-over par.
Veer Ahlawat, last year’s tied-runner up and tied-10th finisher on Thursday, would rue an unimpressive day full of makes that saw him finish with a 77, tumbling down to tied-31st. India no. 1 Shubhankar Sharma kept himself afloat with a total score of five-over 149, still failing to make an impression at his home tournament.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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