JOIN USIt was a round that was lot better than what the final card shows - two-under 69 -- on the second day of the Hero Indian Open at the KGA in Bangalore. It takes me to five-under for 36 holes, and I know I am five behind leader Richie Ramsay (66-66), but I am also clear in my mind that there is a lot of golf still to come.
Starting from the tenth, I hit a lot of regulations. From the tenth to the 17th I was right there, but the putts didn’t fall. But I refuse to get frustrated with that.
That is part of the game. Then I got my birdie on 18th after a driver and 7-iron to two feet, which I holed. I hit the ball really well for those eight straight pars early in my round. I hit the ball to about 10 to 15 feet on the first eight holes but couldn’t hole anything. At least, I’m feeling confident because I’m hitting the ball well.
I continued to be steady despite putts not falling. On the second, I had a lovely up-and-down to par and then came the only bogey or blemish, if you want to call it so, on the fourth. My 7-iron shot got plugged in the bunker and I came out well to within six feet, but missed that putt for the first bogey so far. I put that out of my head and did not have any more.
On the fifth, I hit 3-wood, five-wood and reached the edge from where I got a birdie. On the next, I got another good birdie from ten feet.
Then, I missed a 10-footer for birdie on the ninth, my closing hole. I felt good and was enjoying myself because I found a lot of fairways and hit a lot of greens in regulation. If I had been putting like yesterday, I would have shot six or seven-under. I’m still looking forward to hitting some low numbers in the next two days.
The positive thing about my game is that now I am patient. I’ve learned about that by playing with top players. I played with Lee Westwood and saw that he doesn’t get angry at all. I played with KJ Choi and he was calm and composed.
All these top notch guys are very calm and after a while, you start realising that it is not in your hand. The only thing you can do is give your 100 percent and if the results come then take it in a positive way, if not you try and make a birdie on the next hole.
Richie Ramsay, who has adapted to the conditions and greens so well, shot a second straight 66 and is leading at 10-under with three others three behind him.
That group includes two Thais, one of them being Chapchai Nirat, who once shot 32-under in India at the SAIL Open. I was second then, so I remember it well. At five-under I am five behind Richie but anything can happen over the weekend.
There are 36 holes to go and a lot of golf and we have the advantage of playing here (home). I have more knowledge of the greens now. I’m waiting for everything to come together. I am looking forward to the weekend.