Shaurya Bhattacharya tightened his grip on the INR 1.5 crore DP World Players Championship, firing a bogey-free, eight-under 62 on Wednesday. His sensational second round at the Tollygunge Club propelled him to a cumulative score of 14-under 126, establishing a commanding four-stroke cushion heading into the weekend.
The 23-year-old, competing in his season debut on the DP World PGTI, produced highlight of the day on the par-4 fifth hole, where he holed an approach shot from 140 yards for an eagle.
Remarkably, this was Shaurya’s second fairway hole-out of the tournament, following a similar feat in the opening round. He supplemented his eagle with six birdies, including a clean sweep of all three par-5s on the course.
“My wedges have been exceptional this week,” said Shaurya. “Holing out from the fairway for the second day in a row is a great feeling. I managed to escape a few tricky situations and stayed consistent off the tee, which allowed me to stay aggressive on the par-5s.”
Leaderboard Shuffles
Kshitij Naveed Kaul surged into second place at 10-under 130 after carding a 63. His round was sparked by a massive 50-foot eagle putt on the 10th hole.
Jhared Hack (USA) and Sanjeev Kumar are currently tied for third at seven-under 133.
Honey Baisoya, the current PGTI Ranking leader, sits in a tie for fifth at six-under 134.
Kolkata Watch
Local professionals Mohammad Sanju and Divyanshu Bajaj both successfully navigated the cut, finishing the day tied for 47th at one-over 141. A total of 58 professionals advanced to the final two rounds of the competition.
