New Delhi, April 5: Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing faces one of the biggest tests in the career as he heads into the weekend round with the clubhouse lead after carding a second round three-under-par 69 at the US$300,000 Panasonic Open India on Friday.
The Singaporean is 36 holes away from ending a five-year title drought on the Asian Tour after he compiled a two-day total of eight-under-par 136 to take pole position but knows he has to stay focused to grind out a victory at Delhi Golf Club this week.
“You can know the course very well but you still have to perform,” said Lam.
“I’m very happy to be where I’m. It certainly wasn’t easy out there today I felt I played solid. It was a disappointing finish but three-under for today is a very good score,” added the Singaporean.
Starting on the back-nine 10^th, the 36-year-old Singaporean looked set to be cruising home with a bigger advantage but stumbled home with two bogeys on his closing eighth and ninth holes.
“I kind of misjudged my second shot on the eighth hole. I was in the rough and I misjudged the wind which just took it left and I couldn’t get it up and down,” said Lam.
“Ninth hole was just a really tough pin. I was two yards out from getting into a really good position but ended up in the bunker. I had a really tough time trying to get it up and down again,” added Lam.
Chowrasia kept up his chase for his third Asian Tour win after carding another 69 under swirling wind conditions.
The Indian did not start off convincingly as he bogeyed his par-three 12^th, but he responded with birdies on holes 14 and 15.
After turning in 32, Chowrasia parred the next four holes before making further birdies on holes five and eight.
“I played fairly well and two successive three-under rounds is alright in these conditions as they are more difficult than normal,” said the 34-year-old.
“I was also happy with a couple of good par saves on sixth and ninth. That kind of a save also gives you confidence. It was quite windy and with the directions and speed changing, it became very challenging and tough at times,” added Chowrasia.
The top-three players at the Panasonic Open India will be extended invitations to the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open, sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation, in Osaka, Japan in September.
The Panasonic Open India will be beamed live throughout four days on the Asian Tour Media’s global television platform which reaches over 200 countries and 650 million homes.
Ends.
About the Panasonic Open India 2013
The Panasonic Open India, sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), will return for its third edition from April 4 to April 7. Local hero Digvijay Singh will defend the title at the US$300,000 event held at the Delhi Golf Club. The Asian Tour event will be title sponsored by Panasonic India Pte Ltd and supported by Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism and the Government of India. The Tournament will be played once again at the Host Venue Delhi Golf Club.  Other sponsors include. Homestead (Platinum Sponsor) Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla (Official Hotel), Bentbrass (Official Apparel), Srixon (Official Ball), 4moles.com (Digital Media sponsor), GolfPlus Monthly (Magazine sponsor) and Inetol Headwear.
The tournament is organized and promoted by the Asian Tour. Get the latest news and tournament information on www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com and www.4moles.com. You can also follow us on www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf and www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf
About Panasonic India
Panasonic makes available in India its wide range of consumer electronics and home appliances like LCD & Plasma TVs, DVD players, home theatre systems, cameras, camcorders, car audio systems, air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators, microwave ovens, automatic cookers, vacuum cleaners and the like. The Company has a workforce of about 12,650 in India and estimated to do a turnover of Rs 10,000 crore in FY 2012. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand in India, please visit http://panasonic.co.in.
About the Asian Tour
In 2013, the Asian Tour will celebrate a momentous milestone with its 10th season. As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Abacus (Official Apparel Partner), BlackBerry (Official Communications Partner), Canon (Official Imaging Partner), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Supplier), Saxo Capital Markets (Official Statistics Partner), Singha Beer (Official Beer), Srixon (Official Ball), Starwood Hotels and Resorts (Official Hotels and Resorts) and Rolex (Official Timekeeper). The Asian Tour has offices in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Also, visit us at www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com, www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf, www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf, www.youtube.com/theasiantour and www.weibo.com/asiantourgolf

New Delhi, April 5: Australia’s Wade Ormsby cranked up the pressure on the chasing pack when he posted another five-under-par 67 to extend his advantage to two after the second round of the US$300,000 Panasonic Open India on Friday.
Ormsby’s two-day total of 10-under-par 134 meant that Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing, who had earlier taken the morning lead, slipped to second place after he carded a 69 at the Delhi Golf Club.
India’s S.S.P. Chowrasia continued to stay in touch with the leaders after he matched his opening day efforts of a 69 to take third place alongside Thai veteran Boonchu Ruangkit, who could become the oldest winner on the Asian Tour if he wins.
Known for his love for fast cars and motorsports, the 33-year-old Australian showed the same insatiable appetite for speed when he got off the blocks quickly with two birdies in his opening three holes.
He birdied the eighth hole but dropped his only shot of the round on the par-four nine before reaching the turn in 34.
Ormsby then made three more birdies on holes 13, 16 and 18 to put himself in a good position for his maiden breakthrough on the Asian Tour, which is celebrating its 10^th season this year.
“Yes, I love motorsports and racing. But that just sucks up your money while golf gives you that, so I’ll stay with golf anytime,” laughed Ormsby.
“There were lots of cross winds and it was tricky to try and keep them in the fairways. I just have to keep doing what I’ve been doing. My short game was fantastic today and hopefully that continues,” added the Australian.
Meanwhile Lam knows he has to stay focused to grind out a victory despite competing on numerous occasions at the Delhi Golf Club.
“You can know the course very well but you still have to perform,” said Lam.
“I’m very happy to be where I’m. It certainly wasn’t easy out there today I felt I played solid. It was a disappointing finish but three-under for today is a very good score,” added the Singaporean.
Starting on the back-nine 10^th, the 36-year-old Singaporean looked set to be cruising home but stumbled home with two bogeys on his closing eighth and ninth holes.
“I kind of misjudged my second shot on the eighth hole. I was in the rough and I misjudged the wind which just took it left and I couldn’t get it up and down,” said Lam.
“Ninth hole was just a really tough pin. I was two yards out from getting into a really good position but ended up in the bunker. I had a really tough time trying to get it up and down again,” lamented Lam.
Chowrasia kept up his chase for his third Asian Tour win after carding another 69 under swirling wind conditions.
The Indian did not start off convincingly as he bogeyed his par-three 12^th, but he responded with birdies on holes 14 and 15.
After turning in 32, Chowrasia parred the next four holes before making further birdies on holes five and eight.
“I played fairly well and two successive three-under rounds is alright in these conditions as they are more difficult than normal,” said the 34-year-old.
“I was also happy with a couple of good par saves on sixth and ninth. That kind of a save also gives you confidence. It was quite windy and with the directions and speed changing, it became very challenging and tough at times,” added Chowrasia.
The weekend cut was set at five-over par with 68 players making the cut.
The top-three players at the Panasonic Open India will be extended invitations to the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open, sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation, in Osaka, Japan in September.
The Panasonic Open India will be beamed live throughout four days on the Asian Tour Media’s global television platform which reaches over 200 countries and 650 million homes.
Scores after round 2 of the Panasonic Open India 2013 being played at the par 72, 6935 Yards Delhi Golf Club course (a- denotes amateur):
134 – Wade ORMSBY (AUS) 67-67.
136 – LAM Chih Bing (SIN) 67-69.
138 – S.S.P. CHOWRASIA (IND) 69-69, Boonchu RUANGKIT (THA) 70-68.
139 – Shiv KAPUR (IND) 71-68.
140 – Richard LEE (CAN) 72-68.
142 – Digvijay SINGH (IND) 71-71, S Chikarangappa (IND) 72-70, SIDDIKUR  (BAN) 71-71, Jay BAYRON (PHI) 70-72, Amardip MALIK (IND) 71-71.
143 – GULFAM  (IND) 71-72, Anura ROHANA (SRI) 71-72, Sam BRAZEL (AUS) 71-72, Anirban LAHIRI (IND) 71-72, Chiragh KUMAR (IND) 70-73.
144 – Sanjay KUMAR (IND) 70-74, Harendra P. GUPTA (IND) 72-72, Adam GROOM (AUS) 70-74, Kieran PRATT (AUS) 67-77, David LUTTERUS (AUS) 71-73.
145 – HSU Chia-jen (TPE) 73-72, Manav JAINI (IND) 75-70, Jyoti RANDHAWA (IND) 73-72, Abhijit CHADHA (IND) 78-67, Rajesh RAWAT (IND) 73-72, Ajeetesh SANDHU (IND) 71-74, Jeev Milkha SINGH (IND) 72-73, Matthew STIEGER (AUS) 71-74, Lionel WEBER (FRA) 70-75, Shankar DAS (IND) 72-73, Angad CHEEMA (IND) 70-75.
146 – Anthony CHOAT (AUS) 75-71, Elias BERTHEUSSEN (NOR) 75-71, Pawin INGKHAPRADIT (THA) 78-68, Carlos PIGEM (ESP) 76-70, Rahil GANGJEE (IND) 73-73, Panuwat MUENLEK (THA) 71-75, KOH Deng Shan (SIN) 71-75.
Selected scores
151 – Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) 76-75
160 – Oliver WILSON (ENG) 78-82.
Ends.
 
About the Panasonic Open India 2013
The Panasonic Open India, sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), will return for its third edition from April 4 to April 7. Local hero Digvijay Singh will defend the title at the US$300,000 event held at the Delhi Golf Club. The Asian Tour event will be title sponsored by Panasonic India Pte Ltd and supported by Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism and the Government of India. The Tournament will be played once again at the Host Venue Delhi Golf Club.  Other sponsors include. Homestead (Platinum Sponsor) Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla (Official Hotel), Bentbrass (Official Apparel), Srixon (Official Ball), 4moles.com (Digital Media sponsor), GolfPlus Monthly (Magazine sponsor) and Inetol Headwear. The tournament is organized and promoted by the Asian Tour. Get the latest news and tournament information on www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com and www.4moles.com. You can also follow us on www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf and www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf
About Panasonic India
Panasonic makes available in India its wide range of consumer electronics and home appliances like LCD & Plasma TVs, DVD players, home theatre systems, cameras, camcorders, car audio systems, air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators, microwave ovens, automatic cookers, vacuum cleaners and the like. The Company has a workforce of about 12,650 in India and estimated to do a turnover of Rs 10,000 crore in FY 2012. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand in India, please visit http://panasonic.co.in.
About the Asian Tour
In 2013, the Asian Tour will celebrate a momentous milestone with its 10th season. As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Abacus (Official Apparel Partner), BlackBerry (Official Communications Partner), Canon (Official Imaging Partner), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Supplier), Saxo Capital Markets (Official Statistics Partner), Singha Beer (Official Beer), Srixon (Official Ball), Starwood Hotels and Resorts (Official Hotels and Resorts) and Rolex (Official Timekeeper). The Asian Tour has offices in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Also, visit us at www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com, www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf, www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf, www.youtube.com/theasiantour and www.weibo.com/asiantourgolf.

New Delhi, April 4: Australia’s Wade Ormsby and Kieran Pratt stole the morning limelight when they signed for matching five-under-par 67s to take the first round clubhouse lead at the US$300,000 Panasonic Open India on Thursday.
Pratt’s last victory on the region’s premier Tour came in Myanmar last year and he is hoping that his second victory will come his way again at the Delhi Golf Club this week.
“I’ve been building a lot of confidence with my ball-striking and that’s pretty important around Delhi Golf Club.  It has been a while since my last win and you get that itch where you want to win again,” said Pratt.
Starting on the back-nine 10th, the Australian got his campaign underway with three birdies on holes 11, 14 and 18.
An eagle-three on the par-five first then propelled him to the top of the leaderboard where he held on to the lead before closing with a flawless 67.
“This is my best round ever at Delhi Golf Club and obviously I’m happy. Everything worked for me today. I holed a lot of putts and hit several good shots. I played the par-five pretty well and I guess that was the key today,” said Pratt.
While Pratt is chasing his second win, Ormsby is eyeing his breakthrough on the Asian Tour, which is celebrating its 10th season this year.
Ormsby birdied the par-three 12th before marking his card with more red numbers on the 14th and 18th holes.
After making the turn in 34, he continued his birdie run on the first and sixth holes.
“I played well. Anytime you can shoot under-par on this golf course, I’ll be pretty happy. This course suits my game. Given my size, I can’t hit it too far so I’ve to try to hit as many fairways as I can,” said Ormsby.
The top-three players at the Panasonic Open India will be extended invitations to the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open, sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation, in Osaka, Japan in September.
The Panasonic Open India will be beamed live throughout four days on the Asian Tour Media’s global television platform which reaches over 200 countries and 650 million homes.
Ends.
About the Panasonic Open India 2013
The Panasonic Open India, sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), will return for its third edition from April 4 to April 7. Local hero Digvijay Singh will defend the title at the US$300,000 event held at the Delhi Golf Club. The Asian Tour event will be title sponsored by Panasonic India Pte Ltd and supported by Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism and the Government of India. The Tournament will be played once again at the Host Venue Delhi Golf Club.  Other sponsors include. Homestead (Platinum Sponsor) Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla (Official Hotel), Bentbrass (Official Apparel), Srixon (Official Ball), 4moles.com (Digital Media sponsor), GolfPlus Monthly (Magazine sponsor) and Inetol Headwear.
The tournament is organized and promoted by the Asian Tour. Get the latest news and tournament information on www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.comand www.4moles.com. You can also follow us on www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf and www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf
About Panasonic India
Panasonic makes available in India its wide range of consumer electronics and home appliances like LCD & Plasma TVs, DVD players, home theatre systems, cameras, camcorders, car audio systems, air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators, microwave ovens, automatic cookers, vacuum cleaners and the like. The Company has a workforce of about 12,650 in India and estimated to do a turnover of Rs 10,000 crore in FY 2012. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand in India, please visithttp://panasonic.co.in.
About the Asian Tour
In 2013, the Asian Tour will celebrate a momentous milestone with its 10th season. As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Abacus (Official Apparel Partner), BlackBerry (Official Communications Partner), Canon (Official Imaging Partner), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Supplier), Saxo Capital Markets (Official Statistics Partner), Singha Beer (Official Beer), Srixon (Official Ball), Starwood Hotels and Resorts (Official Hotels and Resorts) and Rolex (Official Timekeeper). The Asian Tour has offices in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Also, visit us at www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com,www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf, www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf, www.youtube.com/theasiantour andwww.weibo.com/asiantourgolf

New Delhi, April 4: Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing hopes his opening round performance will spark a career revival after he carded a five-under-par 67 to grab a share of the first round lead with Australia’s Wade Ormsby and Kieran Pratt at the US$300,000 Panasonic Open India on Thursday.
S.S.P. Chowrasia brought the local cheers when he emerged as the leading Indian with a 69 to take fourth place while Thailand’s Boonchu Ruangkit, a five-time Asian Tour winner, is among the seven players tied for fifth place on 70 at the Delhi Golf Club.
After suffering the disappointment of losing his Asian Tour card last season when he finished 72^nd on the Order of Merit, Lam is determined to regain his place among the region’s elite.
“Losing my Tour card last season was disappointing but I hope to make it up this season with performances like this,” said Lam.
Kieran Pratt of Australia
Playing on country’s exemption status this season, Lam rediscovered his form that led him to his lone Asian Tour victory in 2008.
“It wasn’t easy out there. It was the most windy round that I’ve ever played in at Delhi Golf Club. The winds were swirling and I got lucky quite a few times today. This is my best score at Delhi Golf Club,” said Lam, who traded six birdies against one bogey.
“I’ve been coming here for so many years and I’ve played so many tournaments out here, so much so that I’ve now learnt how to manage my way around this golf course very well,” added the Singaporean.
Meanwhile Pratt is hoping his second victory will come his way again after last victory in Myanmar last year.
“I’ve been building a lot of confidence with my ball-striking and that’s pretty important around Delhi Golf Club.  It has been a while since my last win and you get that itch where you want to win again,” said Pratt.
Starting on the back-nine 10^th, the Australian got his campaign underway with three birdies on holes 11, 14 and 18.
An eagle-three on the par-five first then propelled him to the top of the leaderboard where he held on to the lead before closing with a flawless 67.
“Everything worked for me today. I holed a lot of putts and hit several good shots. I played the par-five pretty well and I guess that was the key today,” said Pratt.
While Lam and Pratt are chasing their second win, Ormsby is eyeing his breakthrough on the Asian Tour, which is celebrating its 10^th season this year.
Ormsby birdied the par-three 12^th before marking his card with more red numbers on the 14^th and 18^th holes.
After making the turn in 34, he continued his birdie run on the first and sixth holes.
“I played well. Anytime you can shoot under-par on this golf course, I’ll be pretty happy. This course suits my game. Given my size, I can’t hit it too far so I’ve to try to hit as many fairways as I can,” said Ormsby.
Chowrasia is aiming to reproduce his winning form at the same venue where he earned his career breakthrough in 2008.
The two-time Asian Tour winner held off a fierce challenge from an elite field to win the Indian Masters then and is looking for a same response this week.
“I am happy with the way things are, though I could have had a better score today. I played quite well and had some long putts, like the 25-footer on the fourth,” said Chowrasia.
“The conditions were not all that easy. There was wind on almost all holes and one has to be careful off the tee. The greens were excellent, though I three-putted once. I feel I’m on the right direction,” added the Indian.
The top-three players at the Panasonic Open India will be extended invitations to the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open, sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation, in Osaka, Japan in September.
The Panasonic Open India will be beamed live throughout four days on the Asian Tour Media’s global television platform which reaches over 200 countries and 650 million homes.
67 – Wade ORMSBY (AUS), Kieran PRATT (AUS), LAM Chih Bing (SIN).
69 – S.S.P. CHOWRASIA (IND).
70 – Adam GROOM (AUS), Boonchu RUANGKIT (THA), Jay BAYRON (PHI), Chiragh KUMAR (IND), Lionel WEBER (FRA), Angad CHEEMA (IND), Sanjay KUMAR (IND).
71 – Vinod KUMAR (IND), Anura ROHANA (SRI), Ajeetesh SANDHU (IND), Sam BRAZEL (AUS), Gerry NORQUIST (USA), Anirban LAHIRI (IND), Amardip MALIK (IND), SIDDIKUR  (BAN), Mithun PERERA (SRI), Matthew STIEGER (AUS), Panuwat MUENLEK (THA), David LUTTERUS (AUS), KOH Deng Shan (SIN), Digvijay SINGH (IND), Shiv KAPUR (IND), Pariya JUNHASAVASDIKUL (THA), GULFAM  (IND).
Selected scores
72 – Jeev Milkha SINGH (IND),
78 – Oliver WILSON (ENG)
Ends.
About the Panasonic Open India 2013
The Panasonic Open India, sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), will return for its third edition from April 4 to April 7. Local hero Digvijay Singh will defend the title at the US$300,000 event held at the Delhi Golf Club. The Asian Tour event will be title sponsored by Panasonic India Pte Ltd and supported by Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism and the Government of India. The Tournament will be played once again at the Host Venue Delhi Golf Club.  Other sponsors include. Homestead (Platinum Sponsor) Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla (Official Hotel), Bentbrass (Official Apparel), Srixon (Official Ball), 4moles.com (Digital Media sponsor), GolfPlus Monthly (Magazine sponsor) and Inetol Headwear.
The tournament is organized and promoted by the Asian Tour. Get the latest news and tournament information on www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com and www.4moles.com. You can also follow us on www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf and www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf
About Panasonic India
Panasonic makes available in India its wide range of consumer electronics and home appliances like LCD & Plasma TVs, DVD players, home theatre systems, cameras, camcorders, car audio systems, air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators, microwave ovens, automatic cookers, vacuum cleaners and the like. The Company has a workforce of about 12,650 in India and estimated to do a turnover of Rs 10,000 crore in FY 2012. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand in India, please visit http://panasonic.co.in.
About the Asian Tour
In 2013, the Asian Tour will celebrate a momentous milestone with its 10th season. As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Abacus (Official Apparel Partner), BlackBerry (Official Communications Partner), Canon (Official Imaging Partner), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Supplier), Saxo Capital Markets (Official Statistics Partner), Singha Beer (Official Beer), Srixon (Official Ball), Starwood Hotels and Resorts (Official Hotels and Resorts) and Rolex (Official Timekeeper). The Asian Tour has offices in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Also, visit us at www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com, www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf, www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf, www.youtube.com/theasiantour and www.weibo.com/asiantourgolf

Mexico City, March 2: India’s Shubhankar Sharma upstaged the game’s biggest stars when he shot to the top of the leaderboard at the US$10 million World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship after a brilliant five-under 66 gave him a two-shot lead on Friday.

The 21-year-old, who is the youngest competitor in the elite field, started his day in glorious fashion with an eagle at the par-4 first hole and then signed off his second round in style with three closing birdies, much to the delight of the Mexican fans at the Golf Club de Chapultepec.

With his two-day total of 11-under 131, Sharma finds himself in dreamland as he leads the likes of reigning Masters Tournament champion Sergio Garcia (65), 2017 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year, Xander Schauffele (68) and Rafa Cabrera Bello (67), who share second place on 133.

Defending champion and World No. 1 Dustin Johnson fired a 66 for a share of fifth place, four off the lead, with amongst others, Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who battled to a 69, Bubba Watson, who returned a 66 and Pat Perez, who shot a 67.

Sharma has burst onto the scene following two victories in co-sanctioned Asian Tour and European Tour events in South Africa and Malaysia over the past three months. In what is his WGC and PGA TOUR debut, the son of a retired army colonel has been impressive with his stunning performance after two rounds.

“I’m really happy. I couldn’t be in a better situation. Played so well, and the bogeys that I made today were just three putts. Otherwise I just got the ball in play all day and it was great to finish with three birdies in a row,” said Sharma.

“I thought about nothing, I just wanted to have fun. It’s my first WGC and I was happy that I’ll play four days because I missed the cut in the last two events that I played. Even though I missed the cuts, I knew I was playing well. So I just wanted to have fun, and yeah, I’ve had a lot of fun.”

He began his day in style, hammering a three-wood 320 yards down towards the first green which saw the ball ending two feet from the hole for a tap-in eagle. Successive bogeys on the second and third holes saw the Indian make the turn in 35 before coming home strongly with birdies on 11, 12, 16, 17 and 18. His longest birdie putt was from 24 feet on 12 while the other birdies were from inside of 10 feet.

“I worked all my life to come and play at a high stage like this. You have to expect great things from yourself if you want to play at a high stage,” said Sharma.

The best result by an Indian golfer in the World Golf Championships event is by Jeev Milkha Singh, who finished fourth at the 2009 WGC-Mexico Championship but with his position heading into the weekend, he intends to keep fighting, especially when a strong week here can see him qualifying for the WGC-Dell Technologies  Match Play, Masters Tournament and THE PLAYERS Championship in the coming weeks.

“That will be a dream come true if I get into the Masters. I know I need a good finish this week, so I’m just trying to keep my eye on the ball and try to do my best,” said Sharma.

“In the past four months, my life has totally changed.  Obviously I want to get to the PGA TOUR.  So everything is happening so fast, it’s just taking time to sink in.  Obviously the final destination for me is the PGA TOUR, that’s always been my dream. Just playing well here this week will get me closer to my dream and just looking forward to it.”

Ends

Asian golf lost a true friend and a pioneering spirit with the sad passing of the indefatigable Chris Jordan on Wednesday after a two year battle with cancer. CJ, as he was known to colleagues, friends, players and officials, was involved in the Asian golf industry for close on two decades first as a sponsor and latterly as Senior Vice President, Golf, World Sport Group.A tireless worker, brilliant organiser, astute negotiator and all-round good guy – charming and gregarious in equal measure – Chris stamped his mark on the sport in Asia.
His first involvement with professional golf in the region was as a sponsor’s representative at the London Myanmar Open, a feature on the former Asian PGA Tour in the late 1990s.
His attention to detail and determination to ensure the sponsor received value for money stood out, as did his easy manner and willingness to learn about the roles of the media, events and scoring teams in staging a successful golf event, and it was no surprise when he was appointed by Davidoff Cafe in 1999 to oversee their title sponsorship of the Asian PGA Tour.
It was a golden period in the development of Asian golf with tournaments multiplying, prize money increasing and standards of play improving, and CJ’s steady hand on the tiller was central to the Tour’s progress.
When Davidoff Cafe decided that they had met their objective in promoting the brand throughout the region, CJ worked for a spell with the Asian PGA Tour Golf Academy in Palm Resort Golf and Country Club, Johor Bahru, before joining World Sport Group in Singapore to head up their golf operations.
CJ had a keen eye for an opportunity and he was instrumental in revitalising three of the region’s leading tournaments – the Singapore Open, Thailand Open, and the Indian Open.
The Singapore Open was very much his “baby” and, like a proud father, he watched the tournament grow and prosper from its rebirth in 2005.
With the backing of Barclays, the Singapore Open re-established itself as the flagship event on the Asian Tour with prize money of US$6 million and a roll call of winners from the top echelon of the game led by three-time champion Adam Scott.
He was disheartened by the decision of Barclays to end their sponsorship after last year’s tournament but, typical of the man, he refused to let spirits flag at an impromptu get together of past and present colleagues in the Barclays Pavilion at Sentosa Golf Club long after Matteo Manassero had holed the winning putt.
Given CJ’s ailing health, tears flowed as easily as beers with the conversation naturally turning to the huge impact he had on the game in Asia and the many friends he had made on the way, be they players, caddies, officials, scorers or sponsors.
The toast that night was to “CJ” and many a glass will be raised in the coming days, months and years to one of the greatest characters and dedicated individuals in Asian golf.
 Note: The cremation of Mr. Christopher Jordan will be on Friday April 5 at 8.45PM at Mandai Hall 4, Mandai  Crematorium, 300 Mandai Road, Singapore 779393. Everyone is requested to meet at 8.15PM.

Mexico City, March 2:  For 10 holes, Kiradech Aphibarnrat felt on top of the world. Then his putting let him down.

The Thai star briefly led the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship after 10 holes of his second round at the Club Golf de Chapultepec but found himself on the bogey train with three dropped shots over his last eight holes.

At 7-under 135, Kiradech shares fifth place with amongst others, defending champion and world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, double Masters Tournament winner Bubba Watson and CIMB Classic champion Pat Perez, four back of halfway leader Shubhankar Sharma of India.

Starting his day on the 10th hole, the Thai made birdies on 13 and 18 and eagled the par-5 15th hole after holing a 44-foot putt from the fringe. A five-foot birdie putt  on the first hole pushed the Thai into the lead briefly on 10-under before dropped shots on  the second, fourth and eighth holes took the gloss from what would have been a good day.

“My putting didn’t work very well on the last eight holes, just two three putts on second and four. I hit it into the bush and then hit it on the green, which is better get a five and walk away from there. I mean, just bad drives on three holes and I didn’t seem to putt well,” said Kiradech, who is a former Asian Tour number one.

With a T18 being his best finish in his World Golf Championships career, the big-hitting Thai intends to step on the gas and contend over the weekend.  “Just play the same thing. On this golf course, it’s all about hitting more greens and hopefully the putts will drop. It can be a low round here, but it can be really difficult if you think too much,” he said.

Ends.

New Delhi, April 3: The Panasonic Open India will witness a historical first where an apartment awaits the first player who aces the par-three 17th hole on the final day at the Delhi Golf Club.
Sponsored by Homestead, one of India’s leading property developers and pioneer in boutique branded residences, the luxury apartment is a club Monaco unit at the Michael Schumacher World Tower which is located in the heart of Gurgaon.
The Homestead group has been known for its unique ideas, grand style and brand association with faces from the international sports world like F1 driver Michael Schumacher and tennis player Maria Sharapova.
Manoj Shrivastava, COO Homestead Infrastructure Development Pvt Ltd said, “As all golf connoisseurs would know, in the entire history of professional golf, the prize amount for the ‘hole in one’ has never been greater than the prize money of the entire tournament. We at Homestead, are yet again passionate about associating with another sport in a unique way, striking a new chord in the minds of all Golf lovers.”
“It’s a remarkable moment in the history of Golf where for the first time ever our Company, Homestead is bringing in Home in One, a refreshing concept, for an Ace in Golf, by setting up the prize amount to an exciting and record-breaking high,” added Shrivastava.
Manish Sharma, Managing Director of Panasonic Marketing India welcomed the involvement of Homestead as it ensured the continued success of the Panasonic Open India.
“We are delighted to be associated with Homestead and appreciate their support in helping us to make valuable additions to the tournament and make it more exciting for everyone,” said Sharma.
‘In its third year of Panasonic’s title sponsorship, Panasonic Open India Golf tournament is an extension of Panasonic’s involvement with professional golf in Asia. It was a huge success last year and we hope to see similar success this year as well,” added Sharma.
The third edition of the full-field Asian Tour event tees off on Thursday and promises to showcase the region’s best golfers in action as they vie for top honours.
The local charge will be spearheaded by Jeev Milkha Singh, Asia’s number one in 2006 and 2008 as well as Anirban Lahiri and Digvijay Singh, winners of the Panasonic Open India in 2011 and 2012 respectively.
Former Ryder Cup star, Oliver Wilson of England will be aiming to replicate his European form on Asian soil and will be among the contenders from the cosmopolitan field that also include Thailand’s Boonchu Ruangkit and Bangladesh’s Siddikur, who has already enjoyed two top-five finishes in six starts this season.
The top-three players at the Panasonic Open India will be extended invitations to the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open, sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation, in Osaka, Japan in September.
The Panasonic Open India will be beamed live throughout four days on the Asian Tour Media’s global television platform which reaches over 200 countries and 650 million homes.
About the Panasonic Open India 2013
The Panasonic Open India, sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), will return for its third edition from April 4 to April 7. Local hero Digvijay Singh will defend the title at the US$300,000 event held at the Delhi Golf Club. The Asian Tour event will be title sponsored by Panasonic India Pte Ltd and supported by Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism and the Government of India. The Tournament will be played once again at the Host Venue Delhi Golf Club. Other sponsors include. Homestead (Platinum Sponsor) Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla (Official Hotel), Bentbrass (Official Apparel), Srixon (Official Ball), 4moles.com (Digital Media sponsor), GolfPlus Monthly (Magazine sponsor) and Inetol Headwear.
The tournament is organized and promoted by the Asian Tour. Get the latest news and tournament information on www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com and www.4moles.com. You can also follow us on www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf and www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf
About Panasonic India
Panasonic makes available in India its wide range of consumer electronics and home appliances like LCD & Plasma TVs, DVD players, home theatre systems, cameras, camcorders, car audio systems, air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators, microwave ovens, automatic cookers, vacuum cleaners and the like. The Company has a workforce of about 12,650 in India and estimated to do a turnover of Rs 10,000 crore in FY 2012. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand in India, please visit http://panasonic.co.in.
About Homestead Infrastructure Development Pvt. Limited
Homestead is a Real Estate player pioneering branded boutique residences and a trend-setter in creating valuable ideas through human architecture that, act as a market differentiator for the Company thereby, creating a new benchmark for the real estate industry.
Homestead Infrastructure Pvt. Limited is an Associate Company of Homestead UK and was incorporated in October 2011 in partnership with Best Foods for its ‘MST’ project. After achieving the 4 Million Square Feet of Development Target in NCR, it plans to enter the North aggressively in Amritsar, Chandigarh and others
Homestead will cater to real estate, cutting across all segments of lifestyle, creating differentiation through its concepts and connect with customer’s at the most primal level. However, each project of Homestead, will have a much defined segment which would be catered to. Homestead has embarked on a vision to expand its business in India, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh. Its India operations functions out of Gurgaon, Haryana, which, serves as the regional headquarters for South Asia. Inspired by the concept of Human Architecture, Homestead with the help of its international expertise envisages to create a future where people will live, work & play in the spaces which will enhance their quality of life.
About the Asian Tour
In 2013, the Asian Tour will celebrate a momentous milestone with its 10th season. As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Abacus (Official Apparel Partner), BlackBerry (Official Communications Partner), Canon (Official Imaging Partner), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Supplier), Saxo Capital Markets (Official Statistics Partner), Singha Beer (Official Beer), Srixon (Official Ball), Starwood Hotels and Resorts (Official Hotels and Resorts) and Rolex (Official Timekeeper). The Asian Tour has offices in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Also, visit us at www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com, www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf, www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf, www.youtube.com/theasiantour and www.weibo.com/asiantourgolf

New Delhi, India, March 3: Rising Indian star Khalin Joshi plans to adopt a more patient approach when he contends at the US$1.75 million Hero Indian Open next week.

The 25-year-old Joshi, who enjoyed a commendable top-10 finish at the Maybank Championship in Malaysia last month, will keep things simple at the challenging Gary Player designed DLF Golf and Country Club from March 8 to 11.

“Par is going to be your friend. The Gary Player-designed course at DLF Golf and Country Club is a real test of patience and everyone is bound to make some mistakes. Some holes are really challenging and they demand great golf shots,” said Joshi.

The Bengaluru native will be inspired to follow in the footsteps of his close friend Shubhankar Sharma, who sensationally won the Maybank Championship and is currently leading the Asian Tour’s Habitat for Humanity Standings and Race to Dubai.

Joshi is fired up to win his first Asian Tour title at the Hero Indian Open after successfully retaining his Tour card for the 2019 season.

With the pressure off his chest, the young Indian hopes to keep a cool head in the heat of battle at his National Open which is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

“I can get a bit carried away after a bad hole, but I’ve learned to deal with my emotions better. I missed the cut in 2016 and 2017, b I’m back with a vengeance! I’ve never felt better going into the tournament and I hope to be in contention come Sunday,” he said.

The 54th edition of the Hero Indian Open will feature an elite 144-man field that includes five Asian Tour Order of Merit winners, more than 40 Asian Tour champions, as well as a bevy of international names.

Top contenders from Asia’s premier circuit such as Australia’s Scott Hend and India’s Anirban Lahiri, Order of Merit winners in 2016 and 2015 respectively, will tee it up alongside Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjørn of Denmark, crowd favourite Andrew Johnston of England and 2016 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Emiliano Grillo of Argentina.

The last two editions of the Hero Indian Open was won by S.S.P. Chawrasia of India. The six-time Asian Tour winner will be attempting to be the first golfer in the tournament’s 54-year history to lift the trophy three consecutive times.

Ends.

About Asian Tour 

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

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New Delhi, April 3: England’s Oliver Wilson is looking forward to test himself against the best players from the Asian Tour when the third edition of the US$300,000 Panasonic Open India begins at the Delhi Golf Club on Thursday.
The 32-year-old Englishman, who is playing on a sponsor’s invite this week, has not won a title in his professional career but has finished second nine times on the European Tour and represented Europe at the 2008 Ryder Cup.
Wilson also came close to winning in Asia when he finished second behind Spain’s Sergio Garcia at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai in 2009. He is hopeful that his fortunes will change when he steps up to the tee this week.
“Indian golf as with the Asian Tour is improving each year and the players are getting better and better each year. It’s going to be a tough week and hopefully I’ll be up for it,” said Wilson.

“This is a course which makes you think as you plot your way around. There’s no room for bad shots off the tee and you’ve got to keep the ball in play,” added Wilson.
Wilson knows he will be up against a strong field that is headlined by crowd favourite Jeev Milkha Singh of India and a host of other local hopefuls including Anirban Lahiri, Gaganjeet Bhullar and defending champion Digvijay Singh.

“Jeev along with the other guys are all good players. They’ve won all over the world and it’s not going to be easy. I just want to get into contention and hopefully be up there on the leaderboard on Sunday,” said Wilson.
Having won four times in Europe and six times on the region’s premier Tour, Singh is arguably India’s most decorated golfer.
However, it is a win at the Delhi Golf Club that has long eluded him and the 41-year-old hopes to end his barren spell at the venerable course this week.
“I haven’t won on this golf course as a professional yet. I hope to do well this week and get that monkey off my back,” said Singh.
While a win at the Panasonic Open India is a target, Singh also wants to follow the footsteps of fellow honorary member Y.E. Yang in winning a Major.
“Every player who plays golf wants to win a Major championship before his career is over. My goal is to get back into the top-50 this year and if I can do that I’ll have a good chance of winning the Major,” said Singh.
Meanwhile Sri Lanka’s Mithun Perera is eyeing another shot at glory following his near-miss where he finished second at the Asian Tour season-opening event in Myanmar.
Mithun is riding on a rich vein of form and is confident that he can become the first Sri Lankan to win on the Asian Tour, which is celebrating its 10th season this year.
“I had a good start this year and Delhi Golf Course is one of those courses which suit my game. My confidence is high and I’m really looking forward to a good week,” said Mithun.
The top-three players at the Panasonic Open India will be extended invitations to the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open, sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation, in Osaka, Japan in September.
The Panasonic Open India will be beamed live throughout four days on the Asian Tour Media’s global television platform which reaches over 200 countries and 650 million homes.
Ends.
About the Panasonic Open India 2013
The Panasonic Open India, sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), will return for its third edition from April 4 to April 7. Local hero Digvijay Singh will defend the title at the US$300,000 event held at the Delhi Golf Club. The Asian Tour event will be title sponsored by Panasonic India Pte Ltd and supported by Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism and the Government of India. The Tournament will be played once again at the Host Venue Delhi Golf Club. Other sponsors include. Homestead (Platinum Sponsor) Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla (Official Hotel), Bentbrass (Official Apparel), Srixon (Official Ball), 4moles.com (Digital Media sponsor), GolfPlus Monthly (Magazine sponsor) and Inetol Headwear.
The tournament is organized and promoted by the Asian Tour. Get the latest news and tournament information on www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com and www.4moles.com. You can also follow us on www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf and www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf
About Panasonic India
Panasonic makes available in India its wide range of consumer electronics and home appliances like LCD & Plasma TVs, DVD players, home theatre systems, cameras, camcorders, car audio systems, air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators, microwave ovens, automatic cookers, vacuum cleaners and the like. The Company has a workforce of about 12,650 in India and estimated to do a turnover of Rs 10,000 crore in FY 2012. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand in India, please visit http://panasonic.co.in.
About the Asian Tour
In 2013, the Asian Tour will celebrate a momentous milestone with its 10th season. As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Abacus (Official Apparel Partner), BlackBerry (Official Communications Partner), Canon (Official Imaging Partner), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Supplier), Saxo Capital Markets (Official Statistics Partner), Singha Beer (Official Beer), Srixon (Official Ball), Starwood Hotels and Resorts (Official Hotels and Resorts) and Rolex (Official Timekeeper). The Asian Tour has offices in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Also, visit us at www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com, www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf, www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf, www.youtube.com/theasiantour and www.weibo.com/asiantourgolf