Gaganjeet Bhullar Near Top After Stellar Round in Jakarta

Jakarta, Oct 3 (PTI) – Indian golf ace Gaganjeet Bhullar displayed commendable form with an impressive five-under-par second round score of 65 at the Jakarta International Championship. This performance propelled him to a tied 2nd position on the leaderboard, trailing just one stroke behind the clubhouse leader, Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert.

Bhullar began his day by completing two holes from round one in the morning. He swiftly carried this momentum into his second round, posting four birdies on his front nine starting from the 10th hole, and adding three more on the back nine. Despite encountering bogeys on the 13th and 15th holes, the Olympian reaffirmed why Indonesia has been a favorable venue for him.

"This morning we came back to finish the last two holes from the first round, and I closed with a birdie, which gave me good momentum heading into round two," Bhullar remarked.

"The key today was accuracy - I hit all 14 fairways and 16 greens in regulation, which provided numerous birdie opportunities. I did make two bogeys, but overall it was a very solid round," he added.

The 37-year-old Bhullar is no stranger to success in Indonesia. Of his 11 Asian Tour titles, five have been claimed on Indonesian soil, including his latest victory at the 2023 BNI Indonesian Masters. Notably, he also won the Indonesia Open at this week’s course back in 2013.

"It feels good to be back. Coming here brings back a lot of positive memories. Walking past the champions’ photos and seeing mine there is always motivating. Indonesia has been very kind to me, and the goal is to stay positive and build on this momentum," Bhullar explained.

Bhullar, who has successfully made the cut in all four International Series events this year, remains optimistic about upcoming challenges.

"My best finish was in Morocco, around 14th, but mentally I felt like I was playing much better than the scores showed. I feel like I’ve been playing better than my scores have indicated. Occasionally, the first half sets you up well for the second half, and I’m looking forward to a strong run of events," Bhullar stated.

Meanwhile, England’s Steve Lewton, who emerged victorious on this course last year during the Mandiri Indonesia Open, delivered a flawless six-under round, putting him level with Bhullar.

At the top of the leaderboard, Pavit replicated Bhullar’s five-under round to seize the outright lead at 11-under-par, aided by sharp putting skills.

With Bhullar within striking distance of the lead, Indian fans will undoubtedly be watching closely as the weekend action unfolds at the Jakarta International Championship.

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