Akshay Sharma fires second straight 60 to lead Chhattisgarh Open by three

Akshay Sharma continued his remarkable start to the SECL Chhattisgarh Open with a second straight bogey-free nine-under 60 to take a three-shot lead at 18-under 120 in Naya Raipur.

The Chandigarh professional, searching for his first win in five years, has now opened the season-opener with back-to-back 60s at Fairway Golf & Lake Resort, matching the lowest score ever recorded at the venue on consecutive days.

Honey Baisoya and Anshul Kabthiyal both shot eight-under 61 to move into joint second at 15-under 123. Veer Ahlawat was tied ninth at 11-under 127.

Sharma’s second round featured five birdies on the back nine, including two long conversions from around 18 feet. He also narrowly missed a hole-in-one on the 17th for the third time this week, with his tee shot finishing inches from the cup.

He added further gains on the front nine with two birdies and an eagle, nearly making albatross on the par-5 eighth before tapping in for eagle.

“I’ve been playing so well that it feels like a dream,” Sharma said. “I looked up the defending champion Shaurya Bhattacharya’s total from last year and that helped me set my goal for the week. I’ll look to better that and try to make it a bogey-free week.”

The halfway cut fell at six-under 132, with 51 professionals advancing to the weekend.

Photo – PGTI