09 January 2022: Gurugram-based professional Manav Bais (74-68) and Bengaluru-based amateur Akshay Neranjen (70-72) totaled two-under 142 to share the top spot at the end of round two 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.
From a total field of 101 in Pre Qualifying I, the top 26 players qualified for the Final Qualifying Stage as the cut was declared at nine-over 153 on an extremely windy day.
Twenty-year-old Manav Bais, lying overnight tied 12th, made a remarkable comeback after his opening round of 74 and an early double-bogey on the third hole in round two. Being four-over for the event after three holes on Saturday, Manav fought his way to the top of the leaderboard thereafter with a chip-in eagle on the 14th and four birdies to register a 68, the lowest round of the event.
Bais, who turned professional in 2019, said, “I’m very pleased with my performance as I played competitive golf after a long time. I struggled with my short game in round one but made a massive improvement in it in round two. A long conversion on the seventh and a great approach on the eighth, both resulting in birdies, got my round going.”
Akshay Neranjan, another 20-year-old, who was the joint first round leader, had a mixed day on Saturday as he holed his approach from 100 yards for an eagle-two on the 13th and sank some long putts in his five birdies but also dropped three bogeys and two double-bogeys having found the water hazard on two occasions.
Chandigarh-based amateur Bishmadpal Singh Seerha (70-74), the overnight joint leader, shot a 74 in round two to finish third at even-par 144.
In view of the rapid spread of Covid-19’s OMICRON Variant, most state governments are announcing travel restrictions and curfews. Keeping this in mind, we note that players travelling from other states to Gujarat for the purpose of the PGTI Qualifying School 2022 would be at great risk of catching the virus.
The PGTI thus held an emergency meeting on Thursday evening (January 6) and came to the following conclusion:
Only Pre-Qualifying I will be held as scheduled on January 7 & 8 at Kalhaar Blues and Greens Golf Club. All other events/programs of the PGTI Qualifying School 2022 (Pre-Q II, III & the Final Stage), earlier scheduled to be held between January 10 – 20, stand postponed as of now. Fresh dates will be intimated for the postponed events. The results of Pre-Q 1 will stand as played.
The remaining two Pre Qualifying events and the Final Qualifying Stage, earlier scheduled to be held from January 10 – 20, have now been postponed as a result of the rising cases of Covid-19 throughout the country. The dates for these events will be announced in due course of time.
