The ever-cheerful pro Rahil Gangjee, with a neatly-compiled six-under par 66, marched his way to the top of the leader-board at the half-way stage of the Rs 800,000 HT Pro Golf 2003, the seventh leg of the Hero Honda Indian Golf Tour, at the Classic Golf Resort, in Gurgaon, on Wednesday.
The Kolkata pro, with a two-day total of nine-under par 135, was a stroke ahead of overnight leader Digvijay Singh.
Mukesh Kumar submitted a bogey-free card of five-under 67 to tie with Digvijay.
SSP Chowrasia and Gaurav Ghei shared the fourth position with an aggregate of 139.
Unsung hero Rajiv Kumar shot a three-under 69 to tie with four others - Ajay Gupta, Vivek Bhandari, Pappan and Uttam Singh Mundy for the sixth spot.
As many as 50 pros made it to the money-making rounds after the cut was applied at nine-over 153.
Aditya Singh was the lone amateur who made the professional cut with a total of four-over 148.
Rahil Gangjee, who was out of action for nearly two months following an arm injury, made a solid comeback, thanks to his physical trainer Anwar Wahab, who brought him back to shape.
After a bogey on the third, where he was forced to take a penalty drop after visiting the bushes on his second shot, the diminutive pro made a determined approach for the rest of the round.
"With that bogey I took up the challenge and vowed to go better," said Rahil after the round.
The pro from Kolkata did keep up his promise as he began his birdie spree with a hat-trick of them starting from the fourth. A 15-feet left to right downhill putt on the sixth was the best of the lot. The Titliest-sponsored pro added two more birdies to his kitty on the eighth and 12th before sinking the longest (30-footer) of his seven birdies. After missing a chip-in on the 17th for a birdie, Rahil signed off with yet another birdie.
Apart from the solitary bogey, he missed a sure birdie on the par-5 14th. After being two-on, he three-putted for a par.
"I am happy with my iron-play and putting," said the 25-year-old, who had 14 greens-in-regulation and 26 putts for the day.
Meanwhile, Mukesh Kumar, who made a steady beginning with a three-under 69 on the opening day, went better in the second round. Making three successive birdies on the odd-holes starting from the third, the `Champion golfer of the year' made the turn at three-under.
The Mhow-based pro added two more birdies on the return journey - 15th and 17th -- to submit a bogey-free card. He also saved a couple of pars on the 10th and 13th.
"But for my not-so-happy iron-play, I could have ended up with a better score," said Mukesh.
Digvijay Singh stuck to his form while firing five birdies in his round of 68. A 20-footer on the seventh was the pick of the lot. His other birdies came on the fifth, 10th, 13th and 18th. He registered his first bogey of the tournament on the par-3 11th. Hitting his tee shot to the right, he failed to make par.
"My driving has been a worry; otherwise it was a good round. I am looking for my first win of the season here," said the Meerut pro.
Top scores after 36 holes: 135_Rahil Gangjee (69,66); 136_Digvijay Singh (68,68), Mukesh Kumar (69,67); 139_SSP Chowrasia (70,69), Gaurav Ghei (69,70); 143_Rajiv Kumar (74,69), Ajay Gupta (72,71), Vivek Bhandari (72,71), Pappan (71,72), Uttam Singh Mundy (71,72); 144_Rafiq Ali (74,70), Rahul Ganapathy (74,70), Gurbaaz Mann (72,72), Pritam Saikia (72,72), Ashok Kumar (71,73), Amit Dube (70,74).
Amateurs: 148_Aditya Singh (74,74).