Vijay Kumar Memorial Golf: Sunit Chowrasia Ousts Abhishek Kumar from Top Spot in Thrilling Round

By Our Correspondent

DIGBOI: Sunit Chowrasia produced a breathtaking second-round charge on Wednesday, firing a flawless eight-under 62—the lowest score of the tournament—to wrest the lead away from overnight frontrunner Abhishek Kumar and move into pole position at the inaugural INR 25 lakh DP World PGTI NexGen Vijay Kumar Memorial at Lucknow Golf Club.

In a dramatic reversal of fortunes, the Kolkata golfer surged from tied 13th place to the top of the leaderboard with a two-day total of eight-under 132, opening up a two-shot advantage heading into the final round. The 31-year-old's masterclass featured eight birdies without a single dropped shot, firmly establishing him as the man to beat in Thursday's title showdown.

The spotlight had belonged to Panchkula's Abhishek Kumar after the opening round. The 24-year-old, a winner at the season-opening NexGen event in Faridabad, had set the pace with a composed bogey-free five-under 65 on Tuesday, taking a two-shot lead while reinforcing his credentials as one of the circuit's most consistent performers this season.

However, Chowrasia tore up the script on day two.

Starting from the ninth tee in the shotgun format, the nephew of Indian golfing icon SSP Chawrasia quietly built momentum with three birdies on his opening nine holes before launching a relentless assault on the leaderboard. A stunning sequence of four consecutive birdies from the third to the sixth hole turned the contest on its head and left the chasing pack scrambling.

Fresh from his victory at the Alpha Sports Academy Golf Championship in Patna, Chowrasia now stands on the verge of securing back-to-back DP World PGTI NexGen titles.

Meanwhile, Abhishek refused to fade away despite surrendering the lead. He extended his bogey-free streak for a second successive day with a one-under 69, remaining firmly in contention at six-under 134.

The second-round battle highlighted the contrast between the two contenders. While Chowrasia attacked relentlessly and capitalised on every opportunity, Abhishek relied on patience and recovery to keep his title hopes alive.

Further down the leaderboard, seasoned Delhi professional Pawan Kumar quietly strengthened his challenge. The 41-year-old followed his opening-round 67 with a two-under 68 to move into sole third place at five-under 135, keeping himself within striking distance of the leaders.

Consequently, the race for the title remains far from settled. Current NexGen Order of Merit leader Bipin Mukhiya of Noida, Lucknow's Rajesh Kumar Gautam and Panchkula teenager Arjunveer Shishir occupied a share of fourth place at three-under 137, while local favourite Rishi Kumar stayed in contention in tied seventh position at two-under 138.

The 36-hole cut was set at six-over 146, with 39 players advancing from the original field of 71 competitors.

Meanwhile, speaking to The Sentinel at Delhi Golf Club on Thursday, DP World PGTI CEO Amandeep Johl said the organisation remains focused on strengthening India's professional golf ecosystem by creating greater opportunities for emerging talent and expanding the sport's reach beyond its traditional centres.

“Our focus is not just on staging tournaments but on creating a complete pathway for Indian golfers to progress and succeed at every level. The NexGen Tour has become a critical platform for identifying future champions, while partnerships with DP World are helping us take professional golf to new markets and inspire the next generation of players,” Johl said.

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