Feisty Nakajima takes two-shot lead into closing rounds at Hero Indian Open

Japan’s DP World Tour rookie Keita Nakajima hit his second successive 7 under par score to hold the clubhouse lead at the $2.25 million 57^th Hero Indian Open field on a lightning-truncated second day at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon on Friday.

Nakajima led Frenchman Romaine Langasque (66-66, 12 under 132) by two shots with Italy’s Matteo Manassero (65-68, 11 under 133) a further stroke behind while Veer Ahlawat (69-66, 9 under 135) was the best-placed Indian in solo sixth place.

The headlines however, were stolen by Norwegian journeyman Espen Kofstad who shattered the course record by two shots, carding a 10 under par 62 and is now poised make it into the weekend with a 1 under total of 143. He improved on the 8 under 64 jointly held by Shubhankar Sharma (2018) and Arjun Puri (2022).

What makes the feat of the 36-year-old from Oslo, who would take a boat ride across a nearby lake into Sweden to play his early golf, even more remarkable was that his 62 on Friday followed an opening 9 over 81, making for a 19-shot change in fortunes. The blistering second round run included an eagle 3 on the par-5 eighth hole, his third shot skimming a greenside sprinkler head and into the hole.

“I'm still shaking a little bit. I mean today was just unbelievable,” said the Norwegian who is winless from 114 career tour starts. “Everything came off and I've pulled so many putts I have no idea how many feet I've pulled, but it's been quite the day.

“I've been working a lot on the range lately and I'm feeling like I've been coming back from injury and everything's been feeling horrible for the longest time. And the other day I felt like, okay, I'm starting to move a little bit better. Yesterday, I just didn't get used to what I was working on and everything went wrong. 

“And then this morning on the range, I was just hitting balls and it felt really nice. And then all of a sudden the birdies just started rolling in when I started playing. You need your fair share of luck as well. I mean, on my 17th, I was trying to put it next to a couple of sprinklers. But I happened to pull it a little bit and it went over the sprinkler head, into the hole for an eagle. So just one of those days.”

DLF’s Veer Ahlawat led the home challenge list of home players with a second round 6 under par 66 to hold sixth place, five shots behind Nakajima. Patna golfer Aman Raj was in provisional shared eighth place on 7 under having completed 13 holes of his second round.

Another local player, Manu Gandas, who shot a sizzling 7 under 65 and Chandigarh’s Karandeep Kochhar were tied for provisional 16th place on 6 under 136 having started out in the morning. Gandas, who opened with a 73 on Thursday, climbed 64 places on Friday while Kochhar (68-79) dropped two spots from his overnight tied 14thspot.

Gaganjeet Bhullar (70-69) was tied 22nd on 5 under 143 while Rashid Khan and Shubhankar Sharma, who could not complete his second round, were in shared 31st place.

Starting on the back nine, Ahlawat’s round included an eagle on his 17th hole, the par-five eighth where he hit the green from 260 yards with his 3-hybrid and converted a 10-foot putt. “The wind is really less this year and then the greens are really soft. So, even if you end up missing it on the wrong side, you still have a chance to make a par if you hit a good chip. 

“Today, my game was pretty strong. I kept it in play. I holed a few good putts. And then my striking was really good. So I had a lot of chances to hole those 10, 12 footers, which I did.This is my home course and it helps for sure.”

Added Kochhar who was unlucky to drop a shot on the 18th hole, “I think I've been hitting the ball well generally for a while now so I think what's changed in these last two days is obviously the putting. Obviously the ball striking has been there but in bits and pieces. I think I need to work a little bit on the range with my coach.

“Overall I think scoring on this golf course is the most important thing, just keeping it in play and knowing when to take your medicine. try and make a bogey and get out of here which I should have done a ninth hole cost me a couple of shots there but overall I think whenever Ihad the opportunity to make birdie I did so.”

Nakajima, who had a stellar amateur career before turning pro in 2022 and earning his way into the DP World Tour by topping his home circuit, said later, “I had good pars on holes two and three, then birdies on four, five, six, seven and eight. That was fun, I was excited.”

Having climbed to 14 under after 13 holes, Nakajima dropped shots successively on holes 14, 15 and 16 before recovering with a birdie on 17 and an eagled 18th. “The 17th hole birdie was so big for me because I made three bogeys in a row before that, and a good eagle finish. They are tough holes, but it’s fun. I enjoy it.

“The back nine is more tricky. On the front nine you can be more aggressive; I like the tee shots and greens on the front nine. Two more days and I’ll try and do my best.I’m comfortable (at the top of the leaderboard). I’m looking forward to two more rounds.”