DP World Tour star Shubhankar Sharma has played steady golf for the Boulders Classic lead in a rare appearance on the domestic tour. Image courtesy DP World PGTI.
By Rahul Banerji
Shubhankar Sharma used his years of international experience and exposure to open up a two-shot lead on day two of the Boulders Classic in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Sharma carded a second consecutive 6 under par 66 at the inaugural edition of the Rs 1 crore event at Boulder Hills Golf & Country Club, he DP World PGTI said.
The 29-year-old, a six-time DP World PGTI winner is playing his first domestic event since the Tour Championship in Jamshedpur in December 2021.
Sharma’s total of 12 under 132 underlined his controlled display over the first two days even as Divyanshu Bajaj of Kolkata produced an error-free 7 under 65 to climb from tied 14th to solo second on 10 under 134.
Overnight leader Vishesh Sharma (65-70) of Hyderabad slipped to third at 9 under 135 after 2 under 70 on Wednesday.
Honey Baisoya, a winner on the DP World PGTI this year, broke the course record with an 8 under 64 that lifted him 38 places from overnight tied 42nd to tied fourth on 8 under 136.
Baisoya, who made an eagle, eight birdies and two bogeys during his spectacular second round, eclipsed the previous course record of 65 shot by Vishesh Sharma in round one.
Ajeetesh Sandhu (68) and Anshul Kabthiyal (67) shared fourth place with Baisoya.
Strong finish
Shubhankar fired seven birdies against a lone bogey, closing strongly with back-to-back birdies to build on his opening-round momentum.
Reflecting on his strong run, Shubhankar said, “I’ve finished well both days with a couple of birdies, so that’s been encouraging going into tomorrow.
“I played pretty solid again today and stayed patient throughout. I gave myself plenty of chances and managed to convert a few early, which helped me settle into the round.
“The front nine has been good to me over the last two days. Even today, starting on the 10th, I felt like I didn’t do much wrong and kept things steady.
“It’s important to stay calm out here and take your chances when they come.”
Speaking about the course, Sharma said, “There are some really good holes here. The 12th is a key tee shot—you have to find the fairway because there’s trouble on both sides.
“The course demands precision, especially with the way it’s set up, so keeping the ball in play is crucial.”
Bajaj, a regular on the DP World PGTI since 2010, came up with a flawless round featuring an eagle on the par-5 14th and five birdies.
Delhi’s Honey Baisoya fired a stunning 8 under 64 to rewrite the Boulder Hills course record on Wednesday. Image courtesy DP World PGTI.
Precise play
On 14, Bajaj struck a precise second shot from 190 yards out to about 20 feet and converted the putt for eagle.
“I was happy with the round. A clean scorecard was important for me, and I managed to keep the ball in play,” the 36-year-old said.
“It’s a tricky course with penalty areas on both sides, so getting the tee shots right helps build momentum.”
Teenager Vishesh Sharma continued to make his mark in his home town, recording a second consecutive eagle on the par-5 14th.
Despite a challenging day, Vishesh produced a standout moment on 14, shaping his approach around a tree from the fairway to about 12 feet before converting the putt.
“I had a bit of a rough day till then, but the eagle on 14 helped me get back into the round,” Sharma said. “I stayed patient and kept my head in the game.”
Yuvraj Sandhu, one of the pre-tournament favourites, followed his opening round of 73 with a 4 under 68 to share 27th place on 3 under 141.
The cut fell at even par 144, with 53 of 131 players advancing to the last two rounds.
Also read: Hyderabad teenager Vishesh is early leader at Boulders Classic
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