Md Zamal Hossain Mollah of Bangladesh fired a scintillating seven-under 64 to grab the lead after the second round of 12th TATA Open at Golmuri Golf Club here today.
Zamal's total score at the halfway stage reads nine-under-134. Delhi's Manav Jaini, Jamshedpur-based amateur Karan Taunk and M Dharma of Bangalore are in tied second place at seven-under-136.
One half of the field had played its 18 holes at the par-72 Beldih Golf Club yesterday, while the golfers in the other half had completed their rounds at the par-71 Golmuri Golf Club.
On Friday, both halves of the field switched venues (those who played at Beldih on day one, played 18 holes at Golmuri on day two and vice-versa).
The cut was declared at two-over-145. Sixty professionals and one amateur made the cut.
Mollah (70-64), climbed from overnight tied 17th to the top of the leaderboard after firing eight birdies against a bogey in round two.
Manav Jaini (68-68) and local favourite Karan Taunk (67-69), both of whom played at Beldih on Friday, were in tied second, two strokes behind the leader, along with M Dharma (66-70) who played at Golmuri.
Jaini sank five birdies against a lone bogey in his round of four-under-68 as he holed everything from a range of 10 feet and less. Taunk, the only amateur to make the cut, made seven birdies against four bogeys during his round of three-under-69.
Dharma's round of one-under-70 featured six birdies, three bogeys and a double-bogey. He missed out on a hole-in-one by a couple of inches on the 14th.
Gurgaon's Digvijay Singh, the overnight leader, carded a two-over-74 at Beldih to slip into joint fifth place at six-under-137 along with Delhi golfers Ashok Kumar and Chiragh Kumar and Lucknow's Vijay Kumar.
Defending champion Mithun Perera (73-67) of Sri Lanka is placed tied 19th at three-under-140. Perera shot a four-over-67 at Golmuri on Friday.
