New Delhi: Nabin Mandal may not be around to vie for the Homestead Home-in-One prize on Sunday, as he ended the first round at five-over 77 at the Panasonic Open India on Thursday. But he sure can take pride in the fact that he becomes the first player to land an ace (hole-in-one) at the 17th hole of the DGC in any Asian Tour event.
Interestingly, Panasonic Open’s Platinum sponsor, Homestead have put up a luxury apartment as a prize for the first hole-in-one at the 17th on the final day on April 7. Since the prize has been put up only for the final day, Mandal will not be eligible for it, though he might still get a consolation prize if there is no other ace.
Mandal started with a triple bogey on tenth and was six-over after five holes but after he shot the ace he had one birdie and one bogey on closing ninth.
Mandal, 39, turned pro in 1994 after growing up in a slum in Madartala, a stone’s throw from the historic Royal Calcutta Golf Club. Mandal, who has never won a pro event, aced the 17th with a 9-Iron that pitched on the green, rolled along very fast but hit the flagstick and dropped into the cup.
Chikka starts Asian Tour career with two eagles
Rookie S Chikkarangappa had an interesting ride through his first ever round in an Asian Tour event as professional. The 20-year-old Bangalore golfer, who had a stellar amateur career, before turning pro at the start of the year, had two eagles – a hole out from 147 yards on the par-4 second and a chip-in from 20 yards on the eighth – besides two other birdies, two bogeys and two double bogeys and 10 pars.
Smiling and describing his round, “It sure was strange but fun. I enjoyed it a lot. It was a dream start. A birdie on the first was followed by an eagle. I had 147 yards for my second shot and I hit a 9-Iron. It pitched onto the green and rolled in. Then on eighth I chipped in from the edge of the green. So I turned in 33. And when I had a birdie on tenth, it was looking great. But then the birdies dried up and also dropped two bogeys and one double to finish with an even par 72.”
On the fourth and the 16th, he went into the bushes and came out with double bogeys.