Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia, who missed most of the 2004-05 Amby Valley PGAI Tour season after meeting with an unfortunate motorcycle accident, rode on sheer natural talent to leap into the lead at the mid-way stage of the Rs One million Sir Padampat Singhania Open, being played at the par-72, Noida Golf Course, on Thursday.
Chowrasia fired a superb four-under 68 and aggregates six-under 138 for the tournament.
Bangalore's S Madaiah returned his second successive card of 70 to occupy the second place at four-under 140.
Overnight-leader Mohd. Islam slipped to the tied-third position with Lucknow's Sanjay Kumar on 142.
The cut was applied at ten-over 154 with 53 pros making it to the deciding rounds.
Chowrasia's is a sad tale. The 26 year old was at the peak of his prowess in 2003-04 when he met with a motorcycle accident which saw him miss a handful of key events. That was last season when the diminutive Kolkatan still managed to finish third on the Money List. His woes were far from over and not two months into the off-season, (in July 2004) Chowrasia met with another motorcycle accident. The damage this time was a fractured wrist but theincompetence of the doctor (who failed to detect this fracture till well past one month after the accident) caused the golfer to take a forced six-month break from the sport.
Chowrasia came back at the RCGC Open, the first event of year 2005 but missed the cut on his home course. Thereafter he has finishes of eighth, tied-17th and tied-16th in three other events.
Today, the ever-smiling golfer, who teed off from the first hole, birdied the second but disaster struck in the form of a double bogey on the fourth.
On that occasion, Chowrasia's driver stuck fast in the root of a tree which was followed by a poor showing on and around the green. He made up in ample measure with birdies on the sixth, eighth, 11th, 12th and 14th.
"My driving is still very weak as my wrist can't be stretched fully. I am nowhere near fully fit but this week, I can definitely do well by keeping the ball in play and making my putts. This is what I did today," he added.
Madaiah is considered as a future star by some of the best in the business in Indian golf. The 22-year old has over the past two seasons returned some really impressive performances including a tied-second place finish at the Cotton City Open at Coimbatore in 2003. This season has witnessed Madaiah return two tied sixth place finishes.
The second round of the Sir Padampat Singhania Open 2005 witnessed Madaiah tee off form the tenth hole. The golfer suffered early set-backs in the form of back-to-back bogeys on the 12th and 13th.
"I was cramped by the cold and hit poor driver shots," said the golfer. The 14th saw him post a birdie despite another bad effort off the tee box. A bogey on the 16th followed but thereafter Madhaiah regained his feel and went on to birdie the 18th, second, fourth, seventh and eighth. His only other error of the day came in the form of a bogey on the sixth.Shaurya continues in amateur lead: Shaurya Singh shot a round of 76 to continue in the amateur lead at four-over 148. Praveen Kumar was placed a distant second at 154.
Scores (after 36 holes): 138 Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia(70,68); 140 S Madhaiah(70,70); 142 Sanjay Kumar(71,71), Mohd. Islam(67,75); 143 Pappan(71,72), Rafick Ali(71,72), Ranjit Singh(71,72); 144 Shiv Prakash(72,72), Amritinder Singh(68,76) Amateurs: 148 Shaurya Singh(72,76); 154 Praveen Kumar(78,76); 155 Aparup Saikia(74,81).
