Mohammad Sanju takes early lead in Vizag Open Golf

Vizag Open golf: Sanju was the clubhouse leader as the first round was yet to be completed with play being called off at 6 pm local time.

Mohammad Sanju during the Vizag Open Golf at East Point Golf Club in Vishakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: V. V. SUBRAHMANYAM/THE HINDU

Kolkata’s Mohammad Sanju established an early lead with an impressive six-under 66 in the Vizag Open golf championship, after a delayed start, at East Point Golf Club here on Wednesday.

Sanju was the clubhouse leader as the first round was yet to be completed with play being called off at 6 pm local time.

Six players out of a total of 126 are yet to finish round one and will resume play at 6:45 A.M. on Thursday.

Four players were bunched in tied second at 67 including the Chandigarh trio of Harendra Gupta, Akshay Sharma and Rajiv Kumar Jatiwal and Ahmedabad’s Anshul Patel.

The heavy overnight rain delayed the start by 45 minutes as play began at 7:30 A.M. local time. The conditions were overcast and there was a light drizzle throughout the day.

Mohammad Sanju, not having the best of seasons with just one top-10 in the year, had a field day making four birdies and an eagle to take the early advantage. Sanju made a 16-feet eagle conversion on the 12th hole and also sank a 20-footer and a 12-footer for birdies on the 10th and 17th respectively.

“It was a pleasure playing at EPGC for the first time. This course has a fantastic layout and is quite challenging with the narrow fairways and the thick rough on both sides. This track rewards accuracy off the tees,” Sanju said.