Nuh (Haryana)- Indonesia’s Rory Hie returned to his happy hunting ground with a stunning nine-under 63 to take a two-shot lead in round one of the Gurugram Challenge 2022 hosted by Classic Golf & Country Club.
Rory, who won his only Asian Tour title at the Classic Golf & Country Club in 2019, posted a flawless round on Tuesday which also featured birdies on the last three holes.
Ira Alido of the Philippines fired a 65 to be placed second at the event co-sanctioned by the PGTI and the Asian Development Tour (ADT).
The Indian quartet of Amrit Lal Lubana, Tapy Ghai, Shamim Khan and Rajiv Kumar Jatiwal were bunched in tied third at 66 along with Thailand’s Chanat Sakulpolaphaisan.
Rory Hie was off to a solid start in round one with three birdies on the front nine. The 33-year-old consistently landed it within 10 feet of the flag, then added three more birdies between the 10th and the 13th.
Hie then signed off with a late flurry, sinking birdies on the last three holes. A great tee shot on the 16th set up an easy second shot and a subsequent short putt for him. He then chipped in from an awkward position on the 17th before closing with a quality chip-putt on the 18th.
Twenty-one-year-old rookie Ira Alido’s 65 also shot a bogey-free round. Alido hit his wedges well as he chipped in on the 12th and landed most other shots within a range of six feet of the flag.
Tapy Ghai, playing at his home course, had a run of five consecutive birdies from the third to the seventh. He then had a double-bogey on the 12th but bounced back well with two birdies thereafter. Amrit Lal Lubana went error-free during his 66. He made a couple of good par saves from the bunker on the second and third.
Chanat Sakulpolaphaisan, took confidence from his decent tied 23rd finish at DGC last week, to produce a 66 in round one at Classic.
Shamim Khan’s round featured an eagle on the closing 18th along with five birdies and a bogey. Rajiv Kumar Jatiwal came up with eight birdies and two bogeys.
India’s Rashid Khan, one of the pre-event favourites, carded a 67 to be tied eighth.
–IANS
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