Vishesh, Amardeep share halfway lead at Telangana Golconda Masters

Vishesh Sharma and Amardeep Malik sit atop the standings at 14-under 126 after the second round of the Telangana Golconda Masters here at the Hyderabad Golf Association on Wednesday.

Local favourite Vishesh (60-66), who matched the course record with an opening 10-under 60, followed it with a four-under 66 containing six birdies and two bogeys.

“The course played very differently compared with yesterday,” Vishesh said. “The fairways were much softer, the wind was considerably stronger, and the flags were tucked into more difficult areas. I had to adjust my strategy, aim for the correct sections of the greens and avoid chasing every flag,” the 19-year-old remarked.

Amardeep (61-65) made six birdies against a solitary bogey on the par-five 17th for a five-under 65. He later admitted that his opening score tempted him into playing more aggressively than the course demanded.

“I didn’t strike the ball particularly well today. There were stretches when I hit it nicely, but there were also moments when I left myself some challenging par saves. Fortunately, I managed to make the most of them, which is why I was actually happier with today’s round,” Amardeep said.

“After shooting a low number, the natural instinct is to attack again. But this isn’t a course you can overpower. You have to play intelligently, and I didn’t do that particularly well in a few places.”

Dhruv Sheoran (60-67) slipped one spot to third at 13-under 127. He mixed six birdies with a bogey on the par-five eighth and a double bogey on the par-four 18th, his final hole of the day, in a three-under 67.

Honey Baisoya (64-64) produced a second successive six-under 64, making seven birdies and one bogey to climb one place to fourth at 12-under 128. Bangladesh’s Md. Akbar Hossain (67-66) and Angad Cheema (66-67) shared fifth place at seven-under 133. Defending champion Jamal Hossain (72-66) of Bangladesh climbed from tied 72nd to tied 24th at two-under 138.