Dec 8, 2016: Kshitij Naved Kaul, runner-up at the 2015 All India Amateur championships, beat Sunit Chowrasia, the top qualifier in the strokeplay, in the first round of the Matchplay at the 116th edition of the Amateur Golf Championship of India at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC) today.
Kolkata’s Udayjit Bhalotia qualified for the second round beating Sri Lanka’s ace player Sisira Kumar on the 19th hole.
Kshitij is just 16, but rich in experience having represented India at the World Amateurs in Mexico and Asia-Pacific in Incheon, Korea, had finished 32nd to grab the last spot for the Matchplay. But he made amends as he beat Chowrasia 1-Up in a close match. He will now meet Harimohan Singh in the second round. A win there could be pit him against the hugely talented Arjun Prasad, who beat Hemendra Chowdary 1-Up and will next meet Kolkata’s Ranjit Singh, who in turn prevailed over Zubin Nijhawan 4&3.
The only international player remaining in the tournament is South Africa’s Shaun Stapleton who secured a position in the second round winning 2&1 against Amit Luthra with a 2&1.
Stapleton goes up against Karandeep Kocchar, who beat Vinay Kumar Yadav 2&1.
The other players who made the second round were Jaibir Singh (beat Tutul Ali 5&4), Rohan Dhole Patil (beat Varun Parikh 2&1), Pukhraj Singh Gill (beat Anant Ahlawat 5&3), Simarjeet Singh (beat Sandeep Yadav 3&2), Yashas Chandra (beat HS Kang 1 up), Aalap Il (beat Afnan Mahmud 3&1), Amir Khan (beat Viren Thapar 2&1), Yuvraj Sandhu (beat Francois Le Roux 2 up) and Tapendra Ghai (beat Raja BR 7&6).
The Indian Golf Union is the organiser and is supported by its partner Rolex. The event is being supported by the RCGC and is managed by Protouch Sports. The iconic Oberoi Grand is the hospitality partner to the event.
IGU Release
