PGTI Tour: Mane surges ahead at halfway stage in Ahmedabad

Mane (69-65), a former winner at Kalhaar, gained seven spots from his overnight tied eighth position as a result of his outstanding show on Thursday. Bengaluru’s Khalin Joshi (70-65), another former winner at Kalhaar, also posted a 65, the day’s joint lowest score, to move up 12 spots and occupy second position at nine-under 135 at the end of round two.

The Chandigarh duo of Ajeetesh Sandhu (67) and Yuvraj Sandhu (68) were placed tied third at seven-under 137. Varun Parikh (68), the only Ahmedabad-based player to make the cut, ended round two in tied 16th place at two-under 142. The cut came down at four-over 148, with fifty-four professionals making the cut.

Mane sank two birdies on the front nine and added six more on the back nine till the 17th. He left himself birdie putts within seven feet on all the holes except the 17th, where he drained it from 18 feet. His only bogey came as a result of a three-putt on the closing 18th. “Kalhaar has been my home course for a couple of years and I’ve also won here before, so I know this track well. However, I’ve never played Kalhaar with this much wind, so today’s round was special and added a spring in my step as I look forward to the weekend," Mane said.

“I hit the ball well, made a lot of putts, and importantly played smart. I was not overly aggressive on the par-5s as I chose to lay up on a couple of them. I’m proud of the way I handled myself in these tough conditions and hit the shots that I needed to,” the Olympian golfer added.

Khalin Joshi, who began the day from the back nine, collected two birdies and an eagle between the 11th and 14th to make the turn at four-under for the day. Joshi then added three more birdies on the front nine as he landed it close throughout the day.

“I think I was very calm today and more confident in my hitting and putting as compared to round one. During Indian Open week, I went through a small swing change as I was working on my posture and ball position. I feel a lot more comfortable after making those changes," Joshi said.

“I’ve played well here at Kalhaar in the past, having also won here. It’s a ball-striker’s golf course, and I enjoy playing here. The wind is always a big factor here, as is the length of the course and the challenges posed by the undulating greens, as the pins can be tricky a lot of times. You need to trust your instincts here,” he added.