PGTI golf: Pravin Pathare takes clubhouse lead on day one of Pre Qualifying III

Ahmedabad, Feb 11 (IANS) Pune's Pravin Pathare shot a two-under 70 to take the clubhouse lead on day one in Pre Qualifying III of the TATA Steel PGTI Qualifying School 2022 at the Kalhaar Blues & Greens Golf Club here.

Amol Waghmare, another Pune-based professional, and amateur Anish Nangia of Delhi occupied tied second place with scores of 71 on a very windy day.

Six players out of a total of 96 could not finish their opening round on Friday due to fading light. They will complete their first round on Saturday morning before play gets underway in round two in the last Pre Qualifying event.

Pathare, who plied his trade on the PGA of Czech Republic last year where he also won an event, began the first round on Friday with a bogey on the first hole. However, he soon bounced back with three birdies over the next 10 holes landing his tee shots within five feet on the second and 11th holes, both par-3s.

Pathare then added two more birdies from long-range on the 15th and 17th but also dropped three-putt bogeys on the 13th and 16th to end up with a 70.

"I recovered really well after a slow start. I'm carrying the confidence from my win in the Czech Republic last year. My experience playing in those alien conditions last year came handy today as it helped me negotiate the extremely windy conditions in Ahmedabad," Pathare, who finished 11th on the PGA of Czech Republic's Order of Merit last year, was quoted as saying in PGTI release.

Out of a total field of 96, the top 26 players (+ ties) will qualify from Pre Qualifying III, a 36-hole event, for the Final Qualifying Stage.