Nakajima, Chacarra emerge joint Hero Indian Open leaders as host course bares its fangs

It was all change at the top after 36 holes at the $2.25 million 58th Hero Indian Open with defending champion Keita Nakajima of Japan and Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra emerging as the frontrunners at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon on Friday.

On a chaotic day the speedy greens exacted a heavy price for the smallest error, the overnight leaders and other well-positioned players fell away quickly, leaving Nakajima (66) and Chacarra (70) sharing the lead on 4 under par 144.

At the halfway stage of the Indian Open, just 14 players remained under par and the cut fell at a massive 6 over 150, the highest number since it was first played at this venue in 2017.

Eleven-time Asian Tour winner Gaganjeet Bhullar (72-73) emerged as the best placed of the 30-strong home contingent sharing 20th place on 1 over 145 while Shiv Kapur (72-74), Ajeetesh Sandhu (69-77) and Aman Raj (73-73) were a shot behind in shared 25th place.

Eighteen Indians were eliminated in the cut including two-time winner Shiv Shankar Prasad Chawrasia who won the second of his titles on the DLF course in 2017 as the last home winner.

Nakajima was on fire on the front nine where he picked up seven birdies to leap up the leaderboard and make the turn in 29 and make up for an indifferent first day when he had returned a 2 over 74. The Japanese star dropped his first shot of the day on hole 11 as he mixed three bogeys with two birdies to finish with the day’s best card of 6 under 66.

On the opposite side of the course, Chacarra who had teed off on 10 carded six birdies, two bogeys and a double in his 70 as he traded punches – and the lead -- with Nakajima. After the final putt had dropped for the day, they were two shots ahead of the field with five sharing third place.

Nakajima was six shots off the pace when he set out in the morning on two over but was quickly back on even terms with the course with birdies on holes one and three. Another gain came with a chip-in on four and he completed a birdie hat-trick on five.

Chacarra was on the move too with a birdie hat-trick of his own on the back nine but blotted his card with a double on hole 17 when his ball dived into the rough on the plateau green. That gave Nakajima a share of the lead and he went a further shot ahead with a birdie on the ninth.

Chacarra rebounded with gains on 18 and hole three after making the turn in three under par. A ding-dong battle followed and Nakajima surrendered the sole lead on his final hole, skulling his bunker shot and then needing a three-putt to close the day.

Meanwhile, in a historic first, DD Sports is airing live coverage of the tournament and will continue to do so till title Sunday between 2 pm and 5 pm daily.