Sentosa, August 17: India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu is a man on a mission.

He wants to be ‘the best golfer he can ever be’ and he knows the world is his oyster.

The Indian is well on his way to achieving that as the spotlight has shone brightly on him as one of the Asian Tour’s ‘tomorrow’s stars today’ since his breakthrough at the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship (TPC) last year.

After missing out on an Asian Tour card in 2017 and having to rely on his country exemption status, Sandhu bounced back in the most deserving way by lifting his maiden title in Chinese Taipei.

Sandhu’s victory at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club, which came a day before his 29th birthday, set the stage for a superb run where he immediately followed up that victory with a play-off win on the Japan Challenge Tour the week after.

With that win, Sandhu joined an elite group of Indian golfers who have won on Asian Tour.

They include Arjun Atwal, Jyoti Randhawa, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Anirban Lahiri, Shiv Kapur, S.S.P. Chawrasia, Rahil Gangjee and Jeev Milkha Singh.

The competitive streak among his fellow compatriots simply brought out the best in Sandhu.

“We Indians have been having a really good run recently. If you playing well, it’s pretty easy to make the step up to the international level and it’s great to see so many of our compatriots doing well.

“It just spurs each other on,” said Sandhu.

Spur him on they did.

Sandhu became the second Indian after Bhullar to lay his hands on the Yeangder TPC title. The latter had won the event in 2012.

As fate would have it, Sandhu would finish the 2017 season in a career-high of 21st place on the Order of Merit.

It has been 10 months since Sandhu’s life-changing victory and that same self-belief still remains.

He continues to revel in pressure and has declared he wants to return to the winner’s circle.

“There’s always room for improvement and there’s still a long way to go. Every week that I tee up now is important, whether it is prize money, world ranking or Habitat for Humanity Standings. That’s what you want to play for because the pressure is always up and that’s a good thing.

“I want to win again. That’s my major goal. It is never easy to win but the self-belief is up because you know that you’ve done it before. It is easier because you know you can do it and that always helps,” said Sandhu.

Ends.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Sentosa, Singapore, August 14: Here’s what Viraj Madappa had in his bag when he claimed his maiden victory at the TAKE Solutions Masters.

Driver: Titleist 917D3 8.5*                                   Shaft: Aldila Tour Green 65 X

Fairway: Titleist 917F3 13.5*                               Shaft: Project X Graphite HZRDUS Black 75 6.5

Hb: Titleist 818H2 17*                                         Shaft: Project X Graphite HZRDUS Red 85 6.5

Irons: Titleist 718 CB (4-P)                                  Shaft: Precision Project X LZ 6.5

Wedge1: Titleist Vokey Design SM7 50 F-Grind

Wedge2: Titleist Vokey Design SM7 54 M-Grind

Wedge3: Titleist Vokey Design SM7 60 D-Grind

Putter: Titleist SC Golo 5 Proto

Ball: Titleist Pro V1 (2017)

Shoe: FootJoy

Cap: Titleist

Bag: Titleist

Glove: FootJoy

Note: No 3 Iron

Sentosa, Singapore, August 13: Viraj Madappa was trying to lose weight by going for swimming classes, but as fate would have it, he found his true love for golf by the poolside and went on to become a champion on the Asian Tour. 

Madappa struggled with weight issues when he was seven years old, so his father took him for swimming lessons. However, instead of staying in the water, the young Indian preferred to watch golfers at a nearby golf club.

As he lost the kilos, his interest in the game kept growing. Fast forward to 2018, a lean and chiselled Madappa secured his first Asian Tour title at the TAKE Solutions Masters on Sunday. 

Madappa admits battling inner demons after earning his Tour card at Qualifying School in January, but any doubts he had were erased by his victory in front of a cheering crowd and supportive family.

The win came with a lot of sacrifices including moving from Kolkata to Bengaluru to train at the Tarun Sardesai academy. The effort paid off as Madappa is now the first Asian Tour rookie to win in 2018 and he is also the youngest Indian winner on the Asian Tour at the age of 20.

“Coming off the Qualifying School, I didn’t think I was good enough. It’s been a roller-coaster since I came through the Qualifying School. I was playing good golf then but I went through a slump after that.

“I worked really hard with my coach (Tarun Sardesai) and my whole team, just to keep me going. I am very happy that I did all the work I could to win. The efforts have definitely paid off now,” said Madappa.

He was a popular winner at the Karnataka Golf Association and the support from the crowd spurred him on in an exciting finale.

“It’s incredible really. My family has been very supportive and my mum was with me. It was great to see all the kids from the academy. They were all like between six to 15 years old. They were probably the loudest in the crowd. I was riding off their energy,” said the Indian.

With the win, Madappa moved to 40th position on the Habitat for Humanity Standings and will earn a winner’s exemption category until the end of the 2019 Asian Tour season.

Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe moved the ninth place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings after finishing tied second at the TAKE Solutions Masters. He is now in the running to qualify for the lucrative CIMB Classic in Malaysia in October.

The Asian Tour will next travel to The 34th Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea from September 13 to 16. The tournament will be played at the Bear’s Best Cheongna Golf Club with a prize purse of KR₩1.2 billion (approximately US$1.125 million).

Top-20 players on the Habitat for Humanity Standings

Pos  Player  Order of Merit  (US$)

1. Shubhankar SHARMA   (IND)          603,155

2. Matt WALLACE   (ENG)                   446,660

3. Kiradech APHIBARNRAT   (THA)     372,480

4. Gaganjeet BHULLAR   (IND)                        357,630

5. Sanghyun PARK   (KOR)                   295,660

6. Rahil GANGJEE   (IND)                    290,425

7. Sihwan KIM   (USA)                         279,623

8. Minchel CHOI   (KOR)                     271,340

9. Scott VINCENT   (ZIM)                     256,841

10. Paul PETERSON   (USA)                 241,148

11. Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA)  207,973

12. John CATLIN   (USA)                      199,617

13. Justin HARDING   (RSA)                 188,648

14. Berry HENSON   (USA)                  159,358

15. Daniel NISBET   (AUS)                   151,883

16. Prom MEESAWAT   (THA)             146,227

17. Danthai BOONMA   (THA)                        145,121

18. Khalin JOSHI   (IND)                      144,001

19. Panuphol PITTAYARAT   (THA)      140,649

20. Shaun NORRIS   (RSA)                   130,943

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Melbourne, Victoria, August 13: The International Federation of PGA Tours announced today that the International Sports Promotion Society (ISPS HANDA) founded by Japanese businessman and philanthropist Dr. Haruhisa Handa, has committed to sponsor the 2018 ISPS HANDA Melbourne World Cup of Golf at The Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne, scheduled for November 21 to 25, 2018.

Now only 100 days away, the ISPS HANDA Melbourne World Cup of Golf will feature two-man teams from the top 28 nations based on the Official World Golf Ranking. The 59th staging of the event will see the 56-player field vie for the largest prize-money purse in Australian golf, with $US7 million on offer.

“ISPS is very pleased to once again sponsor this important international team event,” said Dr. Handa, who serves as the organization’s chairman.

“The World Cup of Golf has such a rich history and ISPS has been supporting golf on a global basis for a number of years. At ISPS, we strongly believe in the ‘power of sport’ and its ability to break down barriers, create hope and inspire people around the world. We consider the ISPS HANDA Melbourne World Cup of Golf to be an ideal platform and partnership where we are able to activate the vision we share with all those involved. We had wonderful experiences in Melbourne in 2013 and 2016 and look forward to another great event at The Metropolitan Golf Club.” 

ISPS HANDA also sponsored the last two World Cup events when each were staged at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in 2013 and Kingston Heath Golf Club in 2016.

“On behalf of the International Federation of PGA Tours, we offer our gratitude to one of the world’s most gracious philanthropists, Dr. Haruhisa Handa, for his support of the 2018 ISPS HANDA Melbourne World Cup of Golf,” said Ty Votaw, President, International for the PGA TOUR. “To be hosted by The Metropolitan Golf Club in the Melbourne Sandbelt with a tremendous partner in ISPS HANDA provides enormous momentum for this team competition with a rich history dating back to 1953.”

Established in 2006, ISPS HANDA is widely recognized for its global efforts to promote blind and disabled golf. It also has been sponsoring amateur and professional tournaments worldwide, as well as a stable of professional golf ambassadors. Dr. Handa created the Japanese Blind Golf Association in 1988 and was the driving force behind the formation of the International Blind Golf Association (IBGA) in 1998. The IBGA was established to coordinate the efforts of blind golf associations around the world and now is the governing and sanctioning body for international blind golf events.

ISPS HANDA has been a leading voice in gathering support for the inclusion of disabled golf in the Paralympics, an initiative that is supported by the PGA TOUR and International Federation of PGA Tours. To continue to raise awareness of this initiative, ISPS HANDA will host Blind and Disabled golf exhibitions at the 2018 ISPS HANDA Melbourne World Cup of Golf, as well as the 2019 Presidents Cup and the 2019 and 2020 Sentry Tournament of Champions.

As part of ISPS HANDA’s wider relationship with the PGA TOUR and the International Federation of PGA Tours, they will also become a ‘Charity Partner of the Presidents Cup’ and the ‘Official Promoter of Disabled Golf of the Sentry Tournament of Champions.’

Former New Zealand Prime Minister and Patron of ISPS HANDA Sir John Key will represent ISPS HANDA at the ISPS HANDA Melbourne World Cup of Golf.

The 2018 ISPS HANDA Melbourne World Cup of Golf will mark the third-consecutive playing of the event in the Melbourne Sandbelt region. In 2016, Danes Søren Kjeldsen and Thorbjørn Olesen shot a final-round 66 in foursomes at Kingston Heath to win Denmark’s first World Cup of Golf title by four strokes over the United States, China and France. Aussies Adam Scott and Jason Day were victorious at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in 2013.

The tournament format will be a 72-hole stroke-play team event. The first and third rounds will be Four-ball (best ball) play and the second and final rounds will be Foursomes (alternate shot) play.

Tickets and travel packages for the 2018 ISPS HANDA Melbourne World Cup of Golf are now on sale at WorldCupofGolf.com

Ticket options range from Wednesday Pro-Am viewing tickets starting at $22, single-day competitive round tickets starting at $30 and tickets to the upgraded MacKenzie Club (Thurs-Sun) starting at $85. Weekly tickets are also available from $120, with a MacKenzie Club option priced at $299.

Three and five-night Melbourne World Cup of Golf tournament travel packages are now available, including accommodation, tickets, souvenir merchandise and coaches to transport you to the event in comfort and style. You can also extend your stay in Melbourne and explore further afield with the flexibility to drive, chip and putt to your hearts content.

In Australia, the tournament will be broadcast on the Nine network with five hours of live competition broadcast each day as well as a one-hour highlights program for use on Nine TV, digital, and/or any video on demand platforms.

For more information about ISPS HANDA, please visit ISPSgolf.com and ISPSInternational.com.  

1. Madappa emerged as only the third Indian rookie to win on the Asian Tour after Shiv Kapur (2005) and Rashid Khan (2014). He is also the fourth Indian, following Shuhankar Sharma, Rahil Gangjee and Gaganjeet Bhullar, to win on the Asian Tour this season.
2. Madappa grew up in Kolkata and learnt his golf at the Tollygunge Club. However, he has spent most of his time in Bengaluru over the last one year to be with coach Tarun Sardesai. 
3. Madappa used to be a plump kid and was thus introduced to swimming by his parents at a very young age. However, he soon took a liking for golf after watching the members play at the Tollygunge Club and began pursuing the sport under the tutelage of renowned coach Indrajit Bhalotia when he was eight years old.
4. Prior to turning professional in 2017, Madappa notched 20 titles at the junior level and six titles at the amateur level.
5. Madappa’s victory marked the third international win for India in two weeks following Gaganjeet Bhullar’s triumph at the Fiji International and Rahil Gangjee’s win at the Louis Philippe Cup last week.

Bengaluru, August 12: Young talent Viraj Madappa delighted the home crowd when he closed with a four-under-par 67 to claim a two-shot victory for his first Asian Tour title at the TAKE Solutions Masters on Sunday.

Madappa, who came through the Asian Tour Qualifying School in January, became the record youngest Indian, at the age of 20 years and nine months, to win on the Asian Tour following his breakthrough at the Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) Golf Course.

Apart from becoming the youngest Asian Tour winner from India, Madappa is also the first rookie and youngest player to win on Tour this season. He takes home a winner’s prize purse of US$63,000 and earned a one-year winner exemption on the region’s premier Tour.

Starting the final round two shots back, Madappa reeled in six pars before dropping a shot on the seventh. He bounced back brilliantly with five birdies to cap a winning total of 16-under-par 268 at the US$350,000 Asian Tour event.

Argentinean Miguel Carballo, who held a one-shot lead heading into the final round, rode on a birdie-par-eagle finish to sign for a 71, sharing second place with Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent (68), as well as Thailand’s Danthai Boonma (70) and Suradit Yongcharoenchai (66).

Home favourites Khalin Joshi, Honey Baisoya and S.S.P. Chawrasia settled for sixth place on 272 following respective rounds of 72, 70 and 70 at the TAKE Solutions Masters, which celebrated its second straight edition on the Asian Tour this week.

Thailand’s Pasavee Lertvilai recorded the second ace of the week on the par-three fourth hole after hitting an eight-iron from 180 yards. It was the third time he made a hole-in-one in a professional tournament. Pasavee ended his campaign in tied-33rd place on 280 following a 70.

Did you know?

• Viraj Madappa became the youngest Indian player to win on the Asian Tour after lifting the 2018 TAKE Solutions Masters trophy. He won at the age of 20 years and nine months, breaking the previous record set by Gaganjeet Bhullar, who was 21 years and three months old when he won his first Asian Tour title at the 2009 Indonesia President Invitational.
• Madappa is also the youngest winner on the Asian Tour this season.
• Madappa, who turned professional in 2017, made the grade in his first attempt at the Asian Tour Qualifying School in January. He is the first rookie to win on the Asian Tour this season.
• He hails from Kolkata but is now based in Bengaluru and trained by Tarun Sardesai at the Tarun Sardesai academy.
• Prior to his breakthrough, Madappa made only four cuts in eight starts on Tour this season, with his best result being a tied-14th place finish at the Royal Cup in Thailand last month.
• Madappa totaled one-under on the front-nine 34 and 15-under on the back-nine 37 on the 7,074 yards course this week.
• After graduating school, Madappa gained admission to the Texas A&M in the United States to study a Bachelor of Arts degree while playing on the college golf team in 2016. The young India, however, only stayed there for a semester before deciding to return home to play professional golf.
• Miguel Carballo marked his best result on the Asian Tour with the joint runner-up finish at the 2018 TAKE Solutions Masters. Starting the round with a one-shot advantage, Carballo dropped three bogeys in his first 15 holes but fought back to an even-par 71 with a solid birdie-par-eagle finish.
• Like Madappa, Carballo also came through the Qualifying School in his first attempt earlier in January.
• Carballo has notched five top-10s in seven starts on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) so far this season. He sits in fourth place on the current ADT Order of Merit.
• Carballo enjoyed a tied-fifth place finish on the region’s premier Tour at the Asia-Pacific Classic in China earlier in May.
• Carballo turned professional in 2002. Hails from Bahia Blanca, Argentina. He is the only Argentinean member on the Asian Tour. Also a former player on the PGA Tour in 2012.
• Suradit Yongcharoenchai matched his career-best finish on the Asian Tour with his joint runner-up finish this week. He last came in tied-second at the 2016 Indonesian Masters.
• The 19-year-old Thai ended his 2017 season in 43rd place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, thereby keeping his card for 2018.
• Prior to this week, Suradit has endured three consecutive missed cuts on the Asian Tour. He also bettered his result at the TAKE Solutions Masters where he took seventh place last year.

Players’ quotes:

Viraj MADAPPA (IND) – Final round 67 (-4), Total 268 (-16)

I am really surprised. It hasn’t really sink in yet and I’m feeling a lot of emotions. I don’t know which one to feel. I don’t know what to say. It’s been a roller-coaster since I came through the Qualifying School. I was playing good golf then but I went through a slump after that.

A lot of hard work at that point of time. I really worked hard with my coach and my whole team, just to keep me going. I am very happy that I did all the work I could to win today. It has paid off.

It’s incredible really. My family has been very supportive. My mum is here with me today. It was great to see all the kids from the academy out here today. They were all like between six to 15 years old. They were probably the loudest in the crowd. You could tell it was them in the crowd.

I was riding off their energy. Winning the tournament did cross my mind when I birdied the 16th hole but I was just trying to stay in the presence and hit every shot I could the right way. I think I did a good job there. I didn’t back off from the situation, even though I had the opportunity to lay up on 18th hole. I decided to go for the green and I’m proud that I made that decision.

I am going back home to Kolkata to celebrate with my family tonight and spend some time at home. I wasn’t looking at the leaderboard on the 18th. I only looked at it before I chipped. I was aggressive with that chip. I knew I had a two-shot lead then but I felt relieved after chipping it back to the green.

It’s been a tough journey. A lot of hard work has been put in from all members of my team. I had a good feeling on the 15th tee box. I was one shot back at that point. I can’t explain but I just felt very good and very confident. I kind of knew it was my day right then.

I was -15 on the back nine and one-under-par on the front-nine. I was talking to my coach after the round yesterday and we were discussing if I could get off to some kind of a good start on the front nine. The back nine holes really suits my eyes.

It was really tough on the front nine. It was very windy. I just quite stressed actually but I was just trying to hit good shots. When Vincent eagled the 10, I knew he was three shots ahead but felt it was alright because I still have my birdie putt and I have been playing well on the back nine. Furthermore, there are still a lot more holes to go.

I just had to keep doing what I have been doing over the weekend and I will be fine. It turned out nicely for me. I really got a good feeling heading to the 15th tee box. I honestly thought I will be seriously nervous because I had a terrible sleep last night.

I think it was just the energies from the crowd, the kids from the academy, that made the difference today. They were so supportive. My game plan was the same for the last three days. It was just a combination of everything.

I think we have a lot of great players on the international Tours. It’s just a matter of time before we all start performing on the bigger stage. Through the week, I made some very good club decisions. I didn’t back off even until the last hole.

I moved to Bengaluru recently and it definitely felt like home ground to me. A lot of people came out to watch me too. The crowd support was incredible. I just felt like it was my day. I switched my coach in 2016, just before I went to the United States for college.

We had a lot to work on. It’s been a lot of work and the last time we discuss, it wasn’t going to work if I stay in Kolkata playing events. I was not going to see him so I decided to move to Bengaluru and work on my game from the academy here.

I haven’t been home to Kolkata for almost three to four months now. I think it was a big decision and sacrifice that we were willing to make but it has been successful with this win. We still have a lot of work to do but it just gives us a lot of positives as we are working in the right direction.

My coach and I had a lot to work on. I was really disconnected my swing. I was just trying to get the swing sequence right and get the club in position. I have gotten better with that and more consistent as well.

This win will definitely change my schedule for the rest of the year. I don’t know where I will be playing now. But it’s a relief that I have secured my card for next year as well and I will be getting to a lot of bigger events.

The satisfaction that you’re doing the right thing. Coming off the qualifying School, I didn’t think I was good enough. But the efforts have definitely paid off now. I spent a semester which is about four months in Texas and I came back here. I didn’t have a good time over there. I learned a lot of golf myself. But I wouldn’t say the experience didn’t help.

I think the most invaluable experience that I have had before this week was at the All India Amateur Championship in 2012. I played with Shubhankar Sharma the whole week and I lost to him. I knew at that point of time that I want to do this for the rest of my life.

It’s good just knowing that I could perform under that pressure. End of 2015, it was a very difficult period of time for me. My scoring average was about 75 to 76 and it was the time when I was really questioning myself.

I think it was just from that time that I started working really very hard. That period of tough time has helped me learn a lot.

Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) – Final round 66 (-5), Total 270 (-14)

I played really good today. I hit very good approach shots but wasn’t able to make putts on some holes. On the par-five 14th, I drove it to the fairway and lay up and from 100 yards, I hit it to within a few inches for a tap-in birdie.

Before this week, I had three consecutive missed cuts. I am very happy with how I played this week. Even though I missed out on the win, I am happy that I better my seventh-place result from last year.

I will take a lot of positives from this week and this result will definitely boost my confidence moving forward.

Scott VINCENT (ZIM) – Final round 68 (-3), Total 270 (-14)

I started great today, put myself in the driver’s seat. Obviously disappointed as I didn’t handle the pressure really well. I just made too many mistakes towards the end and just couldn’t seem to get it back.

I hit a good tee shot on the par-four 10th, hit it to the front edge of the green and made a really long putt for eagle. I was just trying to hit it close but it was a perfect line and the ball just rolled in.

It’s been a good week. Starting the week, I didn’t feel like I had the game this week. Even till today, it has been a bit of a fight all week. To be in contention, I couldn’t have asked for more. Just really wished I could have finished it well.

Viraj and I were both playing very well. Obviously, I got a jump-start on him with three shots up. It was all in my hands but all credits to him, he made birdies when he needed to and handled the pressure well.

Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) – Final round 71 (even-par), Total 270 (-14)

I am glad with the way I finished today, birdie-par-eagle. It has been a long day in the wind. I wasn’t able to hit it close to the pins. My putting wasn’t good too. I sank the birdie putt from four yards on the 16th and made another eagle putt from nine yards on the 18th! I hit the green in two on the last. I was a nice way to finish and fight back to even-par.

This is my second week in Bengaluru and I am very pleased with my result. I played well these two weeks. This is also my best finish on the Asian Tour so far. I saw the leaderboard on the back nine and I saw a lot of guys were catching up but I just played my own game.

Scores after round 4 of the Take Solutions Masters being played at the par 71, 7074 Yards Karnataka Golf Association course (am – denotes amateur):

268 – Viraj MADAPPA (IND) 70-65-66-67.

270 – Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) 66-69-69-66, Scott VINCENT (ZIM) 66-71-65-68, Danthai BOONMA (THA) 66-61-73-70, Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) 66-66-67-71.

272 – S.S.P. CHAWRASIA (IND) 69-65-68-70, Honey BAISOYA (IND) 70-66-66-70, Khalin JOSHI (IND) 67-69-64-72.

273 – Chikkarangappa S. (IND) 69-64-68-72.

274 – Josh YOUNGER (AUS) 71-69-68-66, Poom SAKSANSIN (THA) 71-67-70-66, Jake MCLEOD (AUS) 67-69-70-68, Anura ROHANA (LKA) 67-69-68-70, Om Prakash CHOUHAN (IND) 67-70-67-70, Miguel TABUENA (PHI) 69-68-65-72.

275 – Matt KILLEN (ENG) 68-68-72-67, Jyoti RANDHAWA (IND) 70-71-68-66, Jason KNUTZON (USA) 69-71-68-67, Chanachok DEJPIRATANAMONGKOL (THA) 69-70-69-67, M. DHARMA (IND) 68-73-65-69, Karandeep KOCHHAR (IND) 69-69-67-70.

276 – Maverick ANTCLIFF (AUS) 67-65-70-74.

277 – Harimohan SINGH (am, IND) 69-69-70-69, Aadil BEDI (am, IND) 68-71-69-69, Aman RAJ (IND) 69-68-69-71.

278 – Settee PRAKONGVECH (THA) 67-71-71-69, Himmat RAI (IND) 69-70-69-70, Rashid KHAN (IND) 71-68-69-70.

Ends.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

August 12: England’s Matt Wallace made the headlines at the US PGA Championship when he aced the16th hole for his career’s first hole-in-one at the Bellerive Country Club on Saturday.

Playing alongside three-time Major winner Jordan Spieth, the 28-year-old Wallace holed out with a five-iron from 232 yards before signing for a third round two-under-par 68. He trials leader Brooks Koepka by seven shots in tied-21st place on five-under-par 205 total.

“Best shot of my life probably,” said Wallace, who sits in second place on the Asian Tour Habitat of Humanity Standings, thanks largely to his victory at the Hero Indian Open earlier in March. “In front of a few thousand people, in front of Jordan, my caddie Dave (McNeilly) as well – finally picked a good club for me!

“I flushed it right into my zone. We can’t see where it lands into the shade, but when it landed the crowd started cheering and then it rolled in and they went mental and it kind of reverberated back to the tee and then I just went crazy. So, yeah, special day for me today," added Wallace, a three-time winner on the European Tour.

Wallace made his first cut in four attempts at a Major championship after carding a second round 66. He has missed the cut at the past two US Opens and The Open at Carnoustie last month.

Japan’s Yuta Ikeda settled a further three shots back in tied-45th place following a 71.

Ends.

Bengaluru, August 11: Newcomer Miguel Carballo of Argentina put himself in prime position for a maiden Asian Tour title after carding a flawless four-under-par 67 to seize a one-shot lead following the penultimate round of the TAKE Solutions Masters on Saturday.

The 39-year-old Carballo, who came through the Qualifying School in January, fired a pair of birdies on each nine to take his place atop the leaderboard with a three-day total of 14-under-par 199 at the Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) Golf Course.

Home favourite Khalin Joshi, who turns 26 years old today, returned with the day’s best score of a 64 to share second place with overnight leader Danthai Boonma of Thailand, who slipped with a 74, in the US$350,000 Asian Tour event.

Local hopefuls Viraj Madappa and Chikkarangappa S. lurked two shots off the pace in joint-fourth following respective rounds of 66 and 68 at the TAKE Solutions Masters, which is celebrating its second straight edition on the Asian Tour this week.

India’s Honey Baisoya produced the shot of the day when he made his career’s first hole-in-one on the par-three eighth hole with a pitching wedge from 135 yards. He is among those bunched in sixth place on 202 after signing for a second consecutive 66.

Did you know?

• Miguel Carballo missed only three fairways today. He found 13 greens and needed only 27 putts in his round of 67.
• Should he win tomorrow, he will be the first ever Argentinean member to win on Tour.
• Carballo is playing in his first season in Asia. He came through the Qualifying School in his first attempt earlier in January.
• Carballo has notched five top-10s in seven starts on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) so far this season. He sits in fourth place on the current ADT Order of Merit.
• Carballo enjoyed a tied-fifth place finish on the region’s premier Tour at the Asia-Pacific Classic in China in May. He missed three cuts in seven starts on the Asian Tour this season. Needs a strong finish this week to boost his ranking on the Habitat for Humanity Standings where he sits in a current 93rd position.
• Carballo turned professional in 2002. Hails from Bahia Blanca, Argentina. He is the only Argentinean member on the Asian Tour. Also a former player on the PGA Tour in 2012.
• Khalin Joshi turns 26 years old today. He holds the home course advantage this week.
• Joshi, sponsored by TAKE Solutions, came in runner-up last year after finishing two shots back of Poom Saksansin of Thailand.
• Joshi also holds the course record of a 10-under-par 62 which he set during an amateur event in 2012. He turned professional in 2013.
• Joshi enjoyed a tied-fifth place finish at the lucrative Maybank Championship in Malaysia earlier in February. Sits in 18th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings and has virtually sealed his card for the 2019 season.
• Joshi missed only one fairway and two greens in his solid round of 64.
• Danthai Boonma made his Major debut at The Open at Carnoustie last month. He earned the coveted spot after finishing tied-fourth at the SMBC Singapore Open earlier in January, which was part of The Open Qualifying Series.
• Danthai is a one-time Asian Tour winner. He claimed his breakthrough at the 2015 World Classic Championship in Singapore. Also a one-time winner on the Asian Development Tour where he won the 2016 Boonchu Ruangkit Championship.
• Danthai sits in a current 24th place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, thanks to three top-10 finishes.

Players’ quotes:

Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) – Third round 67 (-4), Total 199 (-14)

I played good again today. I am very happy. It was pretty difficult out there with the winds, especially playing in the last group so it was nice to card a good score. I hit my tee shots very good this week. I putted well today too.

I entered the round five shots back but I wasn’t thinking much. I was just focused on playing my own game. I gave myself opportunities for birdies on the front nine. Danthai made an easy birdie on the first but I told myself to just play my own game.

I have been playing good this year, both on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) and the Asian Tour. This is my first time playing in the final group on the Asian Tour. I wasn’t feeling any pressure. I just told myself to stay focused on my game.

I sank the birdie putt from two yards on the fifth hole and I made another one from six yards on the sixth. On the par-five 11th hole, I made another one for five yards for birdie and on the 12th, I hit it really close with a four-iron.

The birdie on the fifth hole was the best today because I had pushed it left. I will keep things the same tomorrow. The most important will be concentration. My game is solid right now so we’ll see what happens.

Khalin JOSHI (IND) – Third round 64 (-7), Total 200 (-13) 

It feels great. I played really well today. What’s more important is that I played bogey free. That was my key, if I could go bogey free all week, would be great. But let’s not be greedy and I’m happy with the way I played. I think I’m in a good position for tomorrow, so I’m really excited.

There’s a lot of golf still left, 18 holes to go. But I have put myself in a good position. That’s all I was expecting this week – to just give myself a fair chance going into Sunday and I think I have done that. So, looking forward to tomorrow and let’s hope that I come out victorious. 

I want to play my game tomorrow. I have played this golf course a lot. I want to play my own game and not look at anybody. I had set myself a target of 20-under and hopefully I can achieve it. Playing 7-under tomorrow will be great for me.

Shubhankar and me spoke about it and he said you shoot 20-under. Spoke to my caddie as well and he said you shoot 20-under and you’ll win! For me it was always a goal to shoot 20-under this week.

My dad walked with me the last 3 days and he’ll be walking with me tomorrow as well. Obviously it is good playing at home in front of the home crowd. My longest putt was on the 15, which was about a 20-footer. 

Honey and I played the practice round together and I made a hole-in-one on the fourth hole. We just had a small chat after he made the shot and I said that on my birthday he made a hole-in-one. I said good luck to him and hopefully I have a good round. I am obviously very happy for him, he played a good round as well.

Danthai BOONMA (THA) – Third round 73 (+2), Total 200 (-13)

It was nice to start with a birdie and end with a birdie. It wasn’t really that bad for me today. I hit it into the water and made double-bogey on the eighth hole. I thought there weren’t any wind but when I hit the ball, it caught a flyer and went into the water.

The conditions were similar to yesterday as well. I guess I just didn’t putt as well as I did yesterday. I wasn’t nervous actually. I felt pretty comfortable out there. I just had a bad stretch on the front nine.

On the first hole, I sank a three-footer for birdie and on the par-five 18th, I hit the green in two and two-putted for birdie. I will stick to the same plan for tomorrow and work on my putting later. Hopefully I can regain that hot putter tomorrow. I will keep smiling tomorrow too.

Viraj MADAPPA (IND) – Third round 66 (-5), Total 201 (-12)

I am feeling good heading into the final round. Got a lot of home support and that kind of pushed me a little bit to some places I didn’t think I could go. My game is in a good space. I think if I just do what I have doing the first three days, I should be fine.

This is almost like home for me and to have all my people from the academy here supporting me, was great. They were loud through the round. There were a lot of good shots I hit. I think the tee shot on 10 where I drove the green was good.

I made a few mistakes here and there but I made up for them in the closing 5-6 holes. Hopefully if I do what I have been doing and stick with the game plan and just have a good time, I should be fine. 

It was good playing with Khalin and Honey. It felt like a local tour event because I have been playing with them. I was just feeding off their energy, because in the front 9 they kept hitting good shots and kept making putts. I was just trying to keep up. 

I just told myself to just stay with Khalin because he got hot between 7 and 13 or 14. I was just telling myself that if you can keep up with him, you should be good. And I think I did a good job down the stretch. 

The hole-in-one by Honey – it’s funny. Because I hit a really good shot and it felt quite bad after seeing that. I was like 8 feet is not good!

Chikkarangappa S. (IND) -Third round 68 (-3), Total 201 (-12)

I was in a good mood out there today. I didn’t get off to a good start but had a good start to the back nine before making the double-bogey on 14. But I had a good comeback after that which was nice.

I guess I just need to play the 14th hole in a different way tomorrow. I felt like I have a little jinx on that hole. I hit my four-iron off the tee and hit a branch before landing on the fairway. I had about 240 yards to the pin and I tried to hit a hard four-iron which went left and got stuck behind the trees.

It’s one hole that I have been struggling with for the last few events here. I am going back to plan out the strategy again and make sure I birdie that hole. I wasn’t looking much at the leaderboard out there but coming back, I saw how tight the leaderboard was.

I was expecting everyone to play well. The wind was lesser. They made the course longer and it might be tough for the other guys. But since we play a lot of golf here, we know what to do on a couple of holes.

I don’t have any numbers in mind to be honest. The local lads are all up there, including Khalin. It’s going to be a tough fight for sure. I will need to go deep. Anything better than five or six-under would be good.

Honey BAISOYA (IND) – Third round 66 (-5), Total 202 (-11)

For the hole-in-one, it was a pitching wedge from 135 yards. The hole-in-one felt amazing. It was the first hole-in-one of my life. I was actually a little scared before the tee shot because that is not an easy hole to even make a birdie.

I hit a really good shot and after that I just blacked out for a minute. Felt very happy. It was mixed feelings for me after that. I was a little nervous and I was trying to keep my smile.

I was playing the practice round together with Khalin and he made a hole-in-one on the 4th hole. So I told him that you have to give us a party. And then I made a hole-in-one today, and he said that now you have to give me a treat. I said it’s even.

I think I am hitting it really well. One of my friend Divyanshu Bajaj told me that I was doing some mistakes and he corrected it.

Scores after round 3 of the Take Solutions Masters being played at the par 71, 7074 Yards Karnataka Golf Association course (am – denotes amateur):

199 – Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) 66-66-67.

200 – Khalin JOSHI (IND) 67-69-64, Danthai BOONMA (THA) 66-61-73.

201 – Viraj MADAPPA (IND) 70-65-66, Chikkarangappa S. (IND) 69-64-68.

202 – Scott VINCENT (ZIM) 66-71-65, Miguel TABUENA (PHI) 69-68-65, Honey BAISOYA (IND) 70-66-66, S.S.P. CHAWRASIA (IND) 69-65-68, Maverick ANTCLIFF (AUS) 67-65-70.

204 – Om Prakash CHOUHAN (IND) 67-70-67, Anura ROHANA (LKA) 67-69-68, Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) 66-69-69.

205 – Karandeep KOCHHAR (IND) 69-69-67.

206 – Veer AHLAWAT (IND) 69-68-69, Aman RAJ (IND) 69-68-69, Sunit CHOWRASIA (IND) 71-66-69, M. DHARMA (IND) 68-73-65, Jake MCLEOD (AUS) 67-69-70.

207 – Dodge KEMMER (USA) 69-71-67, Sam CHIEN (USA) 68-70-69, CHOO Tze Huang (SIN) 70-67-70, KOH Deng Shan (SIN) 68-69-70, Scott BARR (AUS) 71-66-70.

Ends.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Bengaluru, August 10: Young Thai talent Danthai Boonma got off to a flying start with seven consecutive birdies from the first before signing for a scintillating 10-under-par 61 to grab a five-shot halfway lead at the US$350,000 TAKE Solutions Masters on Friday.

The 22-year-old Thai, who opened with a flawless 66, stayed blemish-free by nailing 10 birdies to take his place atop the leaderboard with a 15-under-par 127 total.

He would have matched the lowest 36-hole score and marked the largest 36-hole lead on Tour this season if not for the preferred lies in play.  

Asian Tour newcomer Miguel Carballo of Argentina posted a second straight 66 to share second place with Maverick Antcliff of Australia, who signed for a 65, at the Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) Golf Course.

Bengaluru-native Chikkarangappa S. fired a 64 to emerge as the highest-placed Indian in fourth place on 133 while compatriot S.S.P. Chawrasia rediscovered some of his best form after carding a 65 to stay a further shot back in fifth.

Overnight leader Thammanoon Sriroj of Thailand slipped to tied-eighth place on 136 after stumbling to a 74 while countryman and defending champion Poom Saksansin grabbed a share of 25th place following a 67.

The halfway cut was set at one-under-par 141 with a total of 69 players, including two local amateurs, progressing into the weekend rounds at the TAKE Solutions Masters, which is celebrating its second straight edition on the Asian Tour this week.

Did you know?

• Danthai Boonma made his Major debut at The Open at Carnoustie last month. He earned the coveted spot after finishing tied-fourth at the SMBC Singapore Open earlier in January, which was part of The Open Qualifying Series. The young Thai, however, failed to make the cut in his first Major after signing for rounds of 78 and 74.
• Despite hitting only six out of 13 fairways, Danthai found 15 greens in total and needed only 23 putts in his solid round of 61, which is his personal best 18-hole score since turning professional in 2015.
• He would have matched the lowest 36-hole score and marked the largest 36-hole lead on Tour this season if not for the preferred lies in play.
• Danthai is a one-time Asian Tour winner. He claimed his breakthrough at the 2015 World Classic Championship in Singapore. Also a one-time winner on the Asian Development Tour where he won the 2016 Boonchu Ruangkit Championship.
• Danthai sits in a current 24th place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, thanks to three top-10 finishes.
• Danthai is a double gold medalist at the 2012 South East Asia (SEA) Games.

• Miguel Carballo is playing in his first season in Asia. He came through the Qualifying School in his first attempt earlier in January.
• Carballo has notched five top-10s in seven starts on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) so far this season. He sits in fourth place on the current ADT Order of Merit.
• Carballo enjoyed a tied-fifth place finish on the region’s premier Tour at the Asia-Pacific Classic in China in May. He missed three cuts in seven starts on the Asian Tour this season. Needs a strong finish this week to boost his ranking on the Habitat for Humanity Standings where he sits in a current 93rd position.S
• Carballo turned professional in 2002. Hails from Bahia Blanca, Argentina. He is the only Argentinean member on the Asian Tour. Also a former player on the PGA Tour in 2012.
• Maverick Antcliff is a graduate of the 2018 Asian Tour Qualifying School. He enjoyed a tied-fourth place finish in his Asian Tour debut at the Asian Golf Championship in China last year.
• Since earning his Tour card, the 25-year-old Australian has missed only two cuts in eight starts so far this season. His best result was a tied-ninth place finish in Indonesia last month.
• Chikkarangappa S. won the event twice when it was staged on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2014 and 2015.
• Claimed that he has only lost twice in all his past tournaments played at the Karnataka Golf Association Golf Course. The first time was at the amateur event where Khalin Joshi broke the course record in 2012 and the second time at the 2017 TAKE Solutions Masters.

Players’ quotes:

Danthai BOONMA (THA) – Second round 61 (-10), Total 127 (-15)

It’s amazing. It’s my personal best, my first time shooting 10-under-par in my life. I feel very happy and excited. It’s my first time starting the round with seven birdies in-a-row too! It’s just amazing.

On the seventh hole, my ball was on the fringe about 20 feet from the pin. I thought I will try and hit it close and two putts for par but I sank the birdie putt which has two breaks and was downhill. My putter was hot. I told myself to just enjoy the game, stay happy and not think so much. I made a similar putt on the 14 too.

I kept to my routine out there. My putting was very good today. I was able to hit it close as well. I forgot my Buddhist pendant necklace this morning. It’s like my lucky charm so I went back to the hotel to take just 20 minutes before my tee time this morning. Thankfully the hotel is just next to the course.

It’s pretty windy today. Good that I had the experience of playing against the wind at The Open earlier. But obviously the windy conditions here can’t be compared to what it was at Carnoustie. I guess that experience helps as I felt it was easier here and I felt more comfortable playing in the wind here as well.

I just want to enjoy my game tomorrow and not think too much. I’ve been singing this Thai song in my head and I want to continue that tomorrow. It helps calm me down. I will keep smiling and keep it fun out there.

Thammanoon’s five straight birdies yesterday came to my mind this morning but I thought I should just focus on my game. I tried not to think so much out there already, especially after that seven straight birdies. I told myself to stay in it and not get ahead of myself.

It’s been three years since I last won. I definitely want to do it again, especially after coming close a few times this year. But having said that, I don’t want to put so much pressure on myself so I won’t think about it.

Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) – Second round 66 (-5), Total 132 (-10)

I started from the 10th hole and I played solid on my front nine. But back nine wasn’t that good. I made a good eagle on the par-five 11th hole. I hit a driver and then a five-wood to the green and made the eagle putt from about 10 yards.

I made good birdie putts on 14th and 15th too, both from about five yards. This is my second week here in Bengaluru. I played the Asian Development Tour (ADT) event here last week and came in tied-11th. I have been hitting the ball well from tee to green since last week.

I made 28 putts today for the five-under-par 66. I had the same score yesterday too but with 31 putts. Hopefully I can do better tomorrow. This year’s been a great experience for me playing in Asia. It’s my first time playing a full season in Asia and I am happy with how I played so far.

This golf course is similar to what I used to play on the PGA Tour before. It’s in great condition, from the fairways to the bunkers and the rough, it’s very nice. I am very happy to play well in the first two rounds this week. Looking forward to tomorrow.

Going to different countries to play different tournaments and meet new people, I think I am very lucky. I am enjoying myself here. My focus now is to play on the Asian Tour. The competition is stronger in the United States. I have played about 10 years in the States. I thought I needed some new experiences so I came to try out here in Asia.

I am playing very well this year. I have a couple of good finishes on both the Asian Tour and the ADT which is good. Hopefully I can get a win soon. I have no goals to go play on the PGA Tour for now. I want to focus on the Asian Tour and if I play good enough, I will go to the European Tour.

Maverick ANTCLIFF (AUS) – Second round 65 (-6), Total 132 (-10)

I played pretty solid today. It was nice to finish with a birdie on the ninth. I made a bogey there yesterday. I had three birdies in-a-row from the fifth. I hit it just to the left on the par-four sixth and I chipped it in for birdie. I was about a metre off the green and had like 20 feet to the pin.

Conditions were pretty similar compared to yesterday. I was just aiming to hit the fairways and greens. You just need to plot along. I hit a bunch of fairways and greens and tried to stay patient out there. You know you not going to make everything so you just need to hit it close.

I wasn’t really looking at the leaderboard out there. I just thought I was playing alright. I tried to just do my own thing. You can’t really control anyone else. I haven’t really thought about tomorrow. I am pretty hungry now. Looking forward to get a good night’s sleep tonight.

Chikkarangappa S. (IND) – Second round 64 (-7), Total 133 (-9)

I have only lost two events at the KGA golf course. One was the TAKE Solutions Masters last year and the other was when Khalin Joshi shot 10-under-par in an amateur tournament in 2012. Those are the only two times I have lost here.

I started good today. I have actually not been feeling well, yesterday I had some cold and a bad throat. Luckily I had a morning tee off yesterday, and then I had a lot of time to recover, so I did that. Today the body was feeling great.

Overall I played superbly well today and my putting was really amazing. I hit the ball really good. I did a couple of changes just before this event with Mr. Sujith Somasunder from a mental aspect and also with my coach on a couple of things. I would say it was a phenomenal round. 

I made a very good putt on hole number eight. It was a downhill left to right putt. A lot of thoughts were going through my mind, whether it will break or not. It was a muc- needed putt for me to boost myself going forward into the back nine. It was about 15-18 feet.

Everything was going in today, and yesterday nothing went in. Yesterday also I felt I putted really well, but it was just that everything was on the cup or just lipped out. But I knew I was putting really well so I went with the confidence. That’s what I have been on – to forget what happened previously and focus on that particular moment and shot. 

I love playing at home. I have won plenty of events at home and the kind of love and warmth you get from the people of Bangalore, it is really amazing. There is no pressure, they actually cheer you up. It doesn’t matter if you win or you don’t win, they are always there and come out and support you. And I really thank them for that.

I spoke to Anirban Lahiri just a couple of days back. He is feeling solid too. I need to trust myself and have that belief. He told me that you need to go out there and enjoy yourself. And ask yourself how happy you were after the round.

I am so glad and happy to be playing along with SSP tomorrow. Coming into the range I saw SSP up there and I was so happy because I know how he is struggling on the European Tour. But I was so happy to see him shooting those numbers today and that probably also boosted me up going into my second round. He’s an amazing person, we come from similar backgrounds and I really look up to him.

The golf course is playing great. Just that it also has confused a lot of local lads like me because the greens are playing really soft so the ball is spinning a lot. So it is bit difficult for you to judge the spin and how much it is going into spin back.

S.S.P. CHAWRASIA (IND) – Second round 65 (-6), Total 134 (-8)

I had a good round yesterday as well, but today was better as I played bogey free. 

I made quite a few long putts and because of which, my scoring was better today. The new putter seems to be working well. My first long putt was at 12th hole, around 20 feet from outside the green. And then one on hole 16, which was about a 50-feet putt for birdie from outside the green. Then couple of 12 footers at 15th, second and third. Then a 10-footer on the seventh.

I missed a couple out there as well. On the sixth and 10th holes, I missed from within 10 feet and then on the eighth, I missed one around 15 feet. The 2nd shot on the 18th hole was a good save for par. It was a tough shot from the left to right. 

I am looking forward to tomorrow. No pressure as I just want to focus on my own game. This is the first event this year where I have played good golf over the first two rounds. Let’s see what happens in the next two rounds.

My old putter was a centre-shaft and the new one is hinge-shaft. It is a little differently shaped. It is a Odyssey. This is my first week with the new putter. The KGA golf course is always in great condition. For me, it’s ranked one of the top-five courses in India.

My mother was diabetic and she was admitted into the intensive care unit just before I came. But she is better now and that helped me to focus more on the golf. Yes, during the off-time and break between the shots, I was thinking about her but I didn’t let it affect my game.

Aadil Bedi is a great player. He’s just 17 but he is very mature. He was playing good yesterday, and even today he was playing well. He just missed a couple of putts, otherwise he is a great player.

Scores after round 2 of the Take Solutions Masters being played at the par 71, 7074 Yards Karnataka Golf Association course (am – denotes amateur):

127 – Danthai BOONMA (THA) 66-61.

132 – Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) 66-66, Maverick ANTCLIFF (AUS) 67-65.

133 – Chikkarangappa S. (IND) 69-64.

134 – S.S.P CHAWRASIA (IND) 69-65.

135 – Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) 66-69, Viraj MADAPPA (IND) 70-65.

136 – Khalin JOSHI (IND) 67-69, Honey BAISOYA (IND) 70-66, Thammanoon SRIROJ (THA) 62-74, Anura ROHANA (LKA) 67-69, Jake MCLEOD (AUS) 67-69, Matt KILLEN (ENG) 68-68.

137 – Miguel TABUENA (PHI) 69-68, Scott VINCENT (ZIM) 66-71, Scott BARR (AUS) 71-66, KOH Deng Shan (SIN) 68-69, Sunit CHOWRASIA (IND) 71-66, Kapil KUMAR (IND) 68-69, Aman RAJ (IND) 69-68, CHOO Tze Huang (SIN) 70-67, Veer AHLAWAT (IND) 69-68, Om Prakash CHOUHAN (IND) 67-70, Pannakorn UTHAIPAS (THA) 69-68.

138 – Syed Saqib AHMED (IND) 70-68, Poom SAKSANSIN (THA) 71-67, Sam CHIEN (USA) 68-70, Karandeep KOCHHAR (IND) 69-69, Harimohan SINGH (am, IND) 69-69, Settee PRAKONGVECH (THA) 67-71.

139 – Ashok KUMAR (IND) 69-70, Aadil BEDI (am, IND) 68-71, Himmat RAI (IND) 69-70, Javier GALLEGOS (ESP) 69-70, Ankur CHADHA (IND) 72-67, Rashid KHAN (IND) 71-68, Mithun PERERA (LKA) 69-70, Marcus BOTH (AUS) 68-71, Chanachok DEJPIRATANAMONGKOL (THA) 69-70.

Ends.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.