Bengaluru, March 23 (PTI) Aman Raj, who two weeks ago won on the domestic Tata Steel PGTI Tour, got off to a quick start at the Duncan Taylor Black Bull Challenge with a card of 5-under 67.
He was tied third alongside fellow Indian M Dharma, as the European Challenge Tour returned to India after a gap of 10 years.
Aman Raj and Dharma were four shots behind the Spaniard Manuel Elvira, who shot an incredible course record-setting 9-under 63.
Welshman Oliver Farr carded a bogey free 8-under 64 to be second at the KGA Course.
Aman Raj and Dharma were in a group of nine players at tied third. The seven players other than the Indian duo, include four-time DP World Tour winner Matteo Manassero, Englishmen Steven Brown and Ashley Chesters, Swedes Joel Sjoholm and Henric Sturehed, Italian Stefano Mazzoli and Germany’s Velten Meyer.
The Indian contingent, looking at possible pathways into the DP World Tour and beyond, had a fine start with five more Indians at the crowded tied-12th place. The five were rookie pro Aryan Roopa Anand, Angad Cheema, Sunhit Bishnoi, Aadil Bedi and R Marimuthu, who all scored 4-under 68 each.
The course played well as 86 golfers shot under par and another 28 played even par.
Aman Raj, starting from the back nine, bogeyed his first and 10th holes. He made no more mistakes as he picked six birdies on the 13th, 16th, first, third, fifth and eighth holes. His compatriot, Dharma, had seven birdies against two bogeys.
Elvira, who already has two top-10 finishes on the Challenge Tour this season — both in South Africa –, began with four birdies on the back nine as he teed off from the 1oth.
His lone blemish was a bogey on Par-4 17th as he turned in a 3-under. On the back nine, he birdied six times and had no bogeys.
“It feels amazing,” said Elvira. “I wasn’t thinking about the course record, but I just wanted to make that final putt to reach 10-under par. Unfortunately, it didn’t go in but I’m really happy with my round today.” Oliver Farr, a three-time winner on the Challenge Tour, had six birdies on the front nine and two more on the back nine.
Local lad Aryan Roopa Anand, a former All India Amateur champion who turned pro this year, had four birdies on the front nine and just one on the back nine and closed with eight pars for his 68.
Source: PTI News
