Anas Khan in cruise control as Chaitanya breaks away at NCR Cup

By Our Correspondent

DIGBOI : Anas Khan tightened his stranglehold on the 24th NCR Cup Junior Golf Tournament with another commanding display on Thursday, opening up a massive eight-shot lead in Boys’ Category A as challenging winds tested the country’s top young golfers at the Delhi Golf Club.

Fresh from his spectacular hole-in-one in the opening round, Khan once again showcased remarkable consistency, carding a level-par 72 on the demanding Lodhi Course to move within touching distance of the title. His commanding advantage leaves the chasing pack with plenty of ground to make up heading into the business end of the tournament.

The biggest surge of the day came from Ranveer Singh Dhupia, who fired a brilliant level-par round to leap into second place, while Ayan Dubey stayed in contention in third with a two-round total of 154.

Meanwhile, the battle in Boys’ Category B witnessed a significant shift as Chaitanya Pandey mastered the gusty conditions with a gritty two-over-par effort. His composed display propelled him past overnight leader Aditya Misra and handed him a three-shot cushion at the top of the leaderboard.

In Girls’ Category A, local contender Ayesha Gupta emerged as the player to beat after producing an impressive three-over-par round. Gupta opened up a commanding six-shot lead, putting herself firmly in the driver’s seat heading into the next rounds.

While the senior categories battled for crucial World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points on the championship Lodhi Course, the spotlight also turned to the Peacock Course where the sub-junior categories launched their campaigns with a series of closely fought contests.

Mohd. Rehan grabbed the early advantage in Boys’ Category C with a two-over-par round, one shot clear of Shan Alvi, while Aaradhya Rawat and Unnati Singh shared the lead in the girls’ section after matching rounds of four-over-par 66.

In Category D, Priyansh Jain delivered one of the standout performances of the day, carding a flawless level-par round to take charge of the boys’ division. The girls’ contest remained wide open with Aarya Ganguly and Naaysha S. Sinha locked in a tie for the lead.

Category E also produced fierce competition, with Jordan Savio George edging ahead in the boys’ field, while Manasvi Rathor’s superb level-par effort handed her a slender one-shot advantage in the girls’ division.

Also Read: India to Test New No.3 Options in Kohli’s Absence, Says Morkel