JOIN USUnheralded K Anirudh shot into lead in the opening round of the Southern India Amateur Golf Championship here on Tuesday.
The Hyderabadi, who booked his ticket for this tournament from a qualifying event, dished out a fine show in only his second appearance of the season, carding one-under 71 to steer one shot clear of a jam-packed leaderboard at the Karnataka Golf Association.
Title favourites and local lads Khalin Joshi and S Chikkarangappa were bunched together at tied second along with Honey Baisoya, Simarjeet Singh and Udayan Mane while the duo of Manav Das and Manpreet Mann were lurking one shot behind at tied seventh on a sun-splashed day.
Anirudh made a fine start to his round, sinking a 11-foot birdie on the opening hole itself. However, the advantage was negated on the very next hole itself when he two-putted from five feet for a bogey.
The 17-year-old immediately repaired the damage on the third hole with a simple tap-in birdie on the third hole before dropping his second shot of the day on the par-4, 7th, two-putting again from five feet. Going steady, Anirudh sunk his third birdie on the 14th hole to set the pace for the first time in his career.
“I just did the basic things right and it clicked for me today,” said Anirudh. “I generally get bogged down by the scores but today I just went out there and enjoyed myself.”
Defending champion Chikkarangappa endured a disappointing back nine in his 72. After turning in at one-under, the 18-year-old suffered a double bogey on the 10th. Birdies on the 11th and 17th put him in joint lead only to be brought down by a bogey on the closing hole.
Leading scores (after 18 holes): 71: K Anirudh; 72: Honey Baisoya, Khalin Joshi, S Chikkarangappa, Simarjeet Singh, Udayan Mane; 73: Manav Das, Manpreet Mann; 74: R Marimuthu, Roshan Raj, Vashistha Pawar.