Pathania, Gupta share Day 1 lead

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Harendra Gupta

Local favourite Mandeo Singh Pathania and Chandigarh’s Harendra Gupta fired identical scores of five-under-67 to share the joint lead after Round One of the Jaypee Greens Open golf tournament.

Manav Jaini of Delhi and Chennai’s Sandeep Syal are a shot behind the joint leaders in tied third place.
Pathania, playing at his home course, came up with a fine round of 67 that featured seven birdies and two bogeys.
“This is my best round in the current season so far. So I’m pretty thrilled with this start. I drove it really well and complemented that with some solid putting.
“I found the green in two on the par-5 second and almost pulled it off again on the par-5 12th,” Pathania said.
“It was also great to convert a couple of long birdie putts towards the end. This is my home course and I feel I have the advantage of local knowledge here.”
He collected four birdies on the first five holes as he landed it within six feet for birdie on the first and third and narrowly missed an eagle putt on the second.
On the back-nine, Pathania dropped shots on the 11th and 13th but more than made up for it, thanks to birdies on the 12th, 16th and 18th.
Pathania, a winner on the PGTI in 2010, sank 15 feet birdie putts on the 16th and 18th.
Gupta shared the first round honours with Pathania as a result of his terrific round that included an eagle, five birdies and two bogeys.
Gupta bogeyed the sixth and ninth and birdied the seventh to make the turn at one-over. He then turned it on with a six-under on the back-nine.
Chandigarh lad landed it within four feet for birdie on the 10th and followed that up with another birdie on the 12th before finding the par-5 15th green in two shots to bag an eagle from 10 feet.
“I was not playing too great on the front-nine, but then really turned it around on the back-nine. I was landing it close and also made a long putt on the 17th. The eagle was the highlight of the day. Conditions aren’t easy as the rough is up and the course is one of the longest in the country. Nonetheless, I’m quite satisfied with my opening round,” said Gupta, a winner of seven professional titles.
Gupta ended the day on a high with birdies on the last two holes. He sank a 25-footer for birdie on the 17th in the first round.
Noida’s Pradeep Kumar is placed fifth at three-under-69.