<p>Chikkarangappa took full advantage of familiar home conditions to fire a superb four-under 68 and grab a two-shot lead after the opening round of the LG Karnataka Open at the Eagleton Golf Resort here on Tuesday. <br /><br />The fact that only three sub-par scores were recorded on a day where the course played long due to overnight rain speaks volumes of Chikkaran-gappa’s efforts.<br /><br />Delhi lad Kanishk Madan returned a card of 70 to be placed second while another Bangalorean, CG Somiah, and Chandigarh’s Rahul Bakshi were tied for the third spot at 71. Abhishek Jha, another local lad, occupied the fourth spot after a one-over 73. <br />Title favourite Rashid Khan, however, had a poor outing and was tied for the fifth place along with R Suresh, Siddharth Seth, Mohammed Wazir and Khalin Joshi.<br />Chikka, who struggled in the Southern India Junior event in Coimbatore last week, put up a brilliant display on Tuesday. <br /><br />A 10th-tee starter, the 16-year-old struggled initially and bogeyed the par-5 13th, the only hole where he looked in trouble. <br /><br />A birdie on the 15th, however, brought him back in the game before he went over once again on the very next hole, missing a five-foot par putt.<br />After that mistake, the teenager sunk three consecutive birdies on the 18th, first and second holes. <br /><br />He then made two more birdies on the fourth and seventh. “I knew I had to be accurate as the rough was up. That was the key to my good round,” said Chikka, who had finished eighth in the Asia Pacific Championship held in Thailand last month. <br />“I did have the advantage of playing at my home course but I didn’t expect the course to play so long.” <br /><br />The quartet of Tarun Ghogale, Abhijit Singh Chadha, Abhinav Lohan and C Suresh carded three-over 75s each to lie seven strokes behind the leader.<br /><br />Top scores (after 18 holes): 68: Chikkarangappa; 70: Kanishk Madan; 71: CG Somiah, Rahul Bakshi; 73: Abhishek Jha; 74: Rashid Khan, R Suresh, Siddharth Seth, Mohd. Wazir, Khalin Joshi; 75: Tarun Ghogale, Abhijit Singh Chadha, Abhinav Lohan, C Suresh.</p>
<p>Chikkarangappa took full advantage of familiar home conditions to fire a superb four-under 68 and grab a two-shot lead after the opening round of the LG Karnataka Open at the Eagleton Golf Resort here on Tuesday. <br /><br />The fact that only three sub-par scores were recorded on a day where the course played long due to overnight rain speaks volumes of Chikkaran-gappa’s efforts.<br /><br />Delhi lad Kanishk Madan returned a card of 70 to be placed second while another Bangalorean, CG Somiah, and Chandigarh’s Rahul Bakshi were tied for the third spot at 71. Abhishek Jha, another local lad, occupied the fourth spot after a one-over 73. <br />Title favourite Rashid Khan, however, had a poor outing and was tied for the fifth place along with R Suresh, Siddharth Seth, Mohammed Wazir and Khalin Joshi.<br />Chikka, who struggled in the Southern India Junior event in Coimbatore last week, put up a brilliant display on Tuesday. <br /><br />A 10th-tee starter, the 16-year-old struggled initially and bogeyed the par-5 13th, the only hole where he looked in trouble. <br /><br />A birdie on the 15th, however, brought him back in the game before he went over once again on the very next hole, missing a five-foot par putt.<br />After that mistake, the teenager sunk three consecutive birdies on the 18th, first and second holes. <br /><br />He then made two more birdies on the fourth and seventh. “I knew I had to be accurate as the rough was up. That was the key to my good round,” said Chikka, who had finished eighth in the Asia Pacific Championship held in Thailand last month. <br />“I did have the advantage of playing at my home course but I didn’t expect the course to play so long.” <br /><br />The quartet of Tarun Ghogale, Abhijit Singh Chadha, Abhinav Lohan and C Suresh carded three-over 75s each to lie seven strokes behind the leader.<br /><br />Top scores (after 18 holes): 68: Chikkarangappa; 70: Kanishk Madan; 71: CG Somiah, Rahul Bakshi; 73: Abhishek Jha; 74: Rashid Khan, R Suresh, Siddharth Seth, Mohd. Wazir, Khalin Joshi; 75: Tarun Ghogale, Abhijit Singh Chadha, Abhinav Lohan, C Suresh.</p>
