SSP Chawrasia Invitational: Anirban Lahiri Shoots Day's Best Score to Occupy But Behind Manu Gandas

Star Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri fired the day’s best score of 65 to be placed second behind Manu Gandas after the second round of the inaugural SSP Chawrasia Invitational tournament here on Thursday.

Gurugram’s Gandas, the man in sizzling form with five wins under his belt this season, continued his brilliant run with a six-under 66 that placed him at the top of the leaderboard at nine-under 135 at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC).

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Bengaluru-based Lahiri ended the day at eight-under 136 ahead of Gurugram’s Veer Ahlawat, who struck a 67 to be at the third spot at six-under 138.

Incidentally, the top three on the leaderboard — Gandas, Lahiri and Ahlawat — played together in the same group on the first two days.

There was only one bogey among the three players on day two. The trio will be back playing together in round three as the leader group.

TATA Steel PGTI Rankings leader Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (70) of Chandigarh was tied ninth at four-under 140.

Yuvraj currently enjoys a narrow lead over second-placed Gandas in the TATA Steel PGTI Rankings.

Tournament host Chawrasia (70) was tied 11th at three-under 141 to be the highest-placed among the Kolkata-based professionals.

Ajeetesh Sandhu (70) and Gaganjeet Bhullar (72) were also tied 11th along with Chawrasia.

Round one leader Karandeep Kochhar (77) of Chandigarh slipped to tied 20th place at one-under 143.

The cut went at four-over 148. Fifty-seven professionals made the cut.

Gandas (69-66), tied eighth overnight, was off to a terrific start, making five birdies between the 11th and the 16th where he rolled in long putts, including a 27-footer on the 16th.

Gandas added two more birdies and a bogey on the front nine. The highlight of his front nine was an accurate approach from 177 yards on the third that left him a tap-in for birdie.

Lahiri (71-65), overnight tied 19th, too made a great start with five consecutive birdies from the 11th to the 15th, sinking three 20 to 25 feet putts.

Lahiri made further inroads on the front nine with two more long birdie conversions.