Vishesh Sharma and Amardeep Malik Share Lead at Telangana Golconda Masters

Exciting Day at Telangana Golconda Masters

In Hyderabad, local favorite Vishesh Sharma and Noida's Amardeep Malik have both reached the halfway mark at an impressive 14-under 126 during the second round of the Rs 1 crore Telangana Golconda Masters held at the Hyderabad Golf Association.

Nineteen-year-old Vishesh, who set a course record with a phenomenal 10-under 60 in his first round, followed up with a solid four-under 66, featuring six birdies and two bogeys.

The two halves of the course presented contrasting challenges for Vishesh. Starting from the 10th hole, he capitalized on the scoring opportunities before facing tougher conditions on the front nine.

Amardeep Malik, who began the day in third place, made his way to the top with a five-under 65, which included six birdies and a single bogey on the par-five 17th hole.

The 41-year-old, a two-time champion on the DP World PGTI, expressed that he did not hit the ball as consistently as he did during his opening round of 61.

Dhruv Sheoran, who was co-leading after the first round, slipped to third place at 13-under 127 after mixing six birdies with a bogey and a double bogey.

Delhi's Honey Baisoya climbed to fourth place with a second consecutive six-under 64, moving up from a tie for fifth at 12-under 128.

Bangladesh's Md Akbar Hossain and Chandigarh's Angad Cheema shared fifth place at seven-under 133.

Vishesh expressed satisfaction with his performance, noting the contrasting nature of his two nines. He emphasized the importance of adapting quickly to the course conditions.

Morning rain had softened the fairways, while stronger winds and challenging flag placements required players to adjust their strategies.

Vishesh acknowledged that his familiarity with the course provided him with an edge, although he still faced some tough recovery shots.

He pointed out the shorter par fours from the 12th to the 15th as key scoring opportunities, while identifying the fourth, fifth, and eighth holes as particularly challenging.

Malik was pleased with his second-round score, feeling it was a better performance than his opening round due to the difficult situations he navigated.

He admitted that his initial score led him to play more aggressively than the course warranted, emphasizing the need for strategic play.

Two notable birdies for Malik included a drive onto the green on the second hole and a successful birdie on the challenging 18th hole.

Fifteen-year-old Arjunveer Shishir from Panchkula made history as the youngest player to make the cut on the DP World PGTI, finishing with a seven-under 63.

Defending champion Jamal Hossain improved his position significantly, moving from tied 72nd to tied 24th.

The round also marked a historic moment for the DP World PGTI, with three holes-in-one recorded on the same day.

The cut for the tournament was set at one-over 141, allowing 59 players from a field of 132 to advance to the final rounds.

The Race to DP World India Championship aims to crown the top player of the DP World PGTI and determine the top-24 players who will qualify for the season-ending championship.