08 January 2021: Amateur golfers Bishmadpal Singh Seerha of Chandigarh and Akshay Neranjen of Bengaluru established themselves as the joint leaders with scores of two-under 70 in round one of Pre Qualifying I of the TATA Steel PGTI Qualifying School 2022 Presented by Gujarat Tourism being played at the Kalhaar Blues & Greens Golf Club in Ahmedabad.
Nineteen-year-old Bishmadpal Singh Seerha struck an eagle, three birdies and three bogeys during his round of 70. Seerha, who had finished as the best amateur at PGTI’s event in Panchkula last year, found the green in two for his eagle on the Par-5 12th. He also made an outstanding par-save from 30 feet on the 14th.
Bishmadpal, ranked 12th on the amateur circuit in 2021, said, “It was a windy day so the conditions were not easy. However, I’ve been driving, chipping and putting well and that helped me put up a good score. Reading the greens well will be an important factor going forward.”
Twenty-year-old Akshay Neranjen, ranked fifth on the amateur circuit in 2021, made four birdies and two bogeys in round one. Akshay, who had claimed a creditable tied fifth place at a PGTI event in Bengaluru in 2019, took advantage of the Par-5s on Friday as three of his four birdies came on Par-5s. He also made a great recovery for a bogey on the 13th after hitting his tee shot out of bounds.
Neranjen said, “My ball-striking was quite consistent, especially my approach shots, as I made 14 greens in regulation. I also played the Par-5s really well. I’m carrying the confidence from my top-5 finish at the PGTI event in 2019 and also from my win at the Western India Amateur last month.”
Bengaluru’s Raunil Kukar, another amateur, was tied third at one-under 71 along with Pune-based professionals Pratik Nirmale and Aditya Bhandarkar.
Out of a total field of 101, the top 26 players (+ ties) will qualify from Pre Qualifying I, a 36-hole event, for the Final Qualifying Stage. There are three Pre Qualifying events in total.
