Patna, March 25 (IANS) Kolkata golfer Sunit Chowrasia fired a superb seven-under 65 in the second round to open up a four-shot lead at the INR 25 lakh Alpha Sports Academy Golf Championship 2026 at the Patna Golf Club on Wednesday, the fourth event of the 2026 DP World PGTI NexGen season.

Chowrasia, who is making a comeback after a lengthy injury layoff, produced one of the finest rounds of the tournament to climb from tied sixth place to the top of the leaderboard. His total now stands at eight-under 136 (71-65), as he matched the tournament’s lowest score of 65 recorded so far this week.

The golfer, who is the nephew of veteran Indian professional SSP Chawrasia, had begun the day six shots behind the leader but made a strong charge with a near-flawless performance.

Rohit Narwal occupied second place at four-under 140 after returning a solid 68 in round two. Meanwhile, local professional Md Nawab emerged as the best-placed Patna golfer, carding a 73 to be tied sixth at one-under 143.

Overnight leader Rohit Baisoya endured a difficult day, slipping to tied sixth position following a second-round score of 78. The Patna Golf Club, a par-72 layout, features a nine-hole course that is played twice to complete a full round.

Chowrasia’s round was highlighted by an explosive start, as he picked up six birdies across the first 12 holes. Despite a bogey on the 14th, he recovered quickly with birdies on the 15th and 17th to close out an impressive round.

After taking the lead, Sunit said, “I started really well by converting some tricky putts and making a good up and down early in the round. I judged the greens well, which helped me drain putts at some crucial moments in the round. I have been hitting the ball well for quite some time, but today even my putting was excellent."

“I’ve had a long injury layoff, but I have fully recovered now. As a result of the back injury. I’ve had to make some changes in my swing. I feel the changes are slowly settling into my game. My uncle, SSP Chawrasia, has been a great source of support through my tough time when I was making my way back from injury. His encouragement and advice have been invaluable,” he added.

--IANS

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