Deepak Sharma (Indian Correspondent)
New Delhi (10 December, 2024) : Continuing his stellar form, Bangladesh’s Jamal Hossain surged to the top of the leaderboard on day one of the INR 2 crore Vishwa Samudra Open 2024, presented by Kapil Dev, at the Delhi Golf Club (DGC). Fresh off his victory at the PGTI event in Digboi, Jamal carded an impressive five-under 67 to claim the clubhouse lead.Trailing him in tied second place at three-under 69 were Ravi Kumar from Chandimandir, Chandigarh’s Ajeetesh Sandhu, Sudhir Sharma from Greater Noida, Bengaluru’s M Dharma, and Gurugram’s Manish Thakran.The opening round faced a 40-minute delay due to morning fog, which led to 27 out of 124 players being unable to complete their rounds before play was suspended at 5:30 PM due to fading light. These players will resume their first round at 7:00 AM on Wednesday, followed by the commencement of round two.Jamal set the tone for a high-scoring day with a sensational start, sinking back-to-back 15-foot birdie putts on the first two holes. Despite a bogey on the third, the five-time PGTI champion bounced back with birdies on the fourth, eighth, and ninth holes, courtesy of precise approach shots and a long 20-foot putt.The 39-year-old, currently 17th in the TATA Steel PGTI Rankings, showcased remarkable consistency, hitting all fairways and achieving 16 greens in regulation. Although his putting cooled off on the back nine, Jamal capped his round with a 20-foot birdie conversion on the 18th hole.Reflecting on his performance, Jamal said, “At the DGC, accuracy off the tee is crucial, and I managed that well today. The chilly conditions required some adjustments, as I come from a much warmer climate. My hitting has been strong since the Jaipur event in mid-November, and my victory in Digboi has further boosted my confidence.”Among other notable performances, Rashid Khan posted a solid 70 to sit in tied seventh, while TATA Steel PGTI leader Veer Ahlawat was one-under through 15 holes when play was halted.The Vishwa Samudra Open 2024 continues to promise high drama as the remaining players resume their rounds on Wednesday morning.
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