National champion Viraj Madappa carded the day’s best round — a two-under 70 — to move into the joint lead at the midway stage of the Usha Karnataka junior golf tournament in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Madappa, who carded a one-over 73 on Tuesday, aggregated a two-day score of one-under 143, the same as overnight leader, Pukhraj Gill (71), at the Eagleton Golf Club.
Madappa displayed a steady game to collect birdies on the first and eighth holes, besides parring the rest for a bogey-free 70. Meanwhile, Gill had birdies on the ninth and 13th against one bogey on the par-5 sixth.
DLF Golf and Country Club’s Manu Gandas, winner of the Usha Delhi juniors in April, had a solid start with two birdies on the first two holes. But, he also gave away bogeys on the fourth, ninth and 14th for a 70. With his first day’s score of 74, Gandas totalled even-par 144.
Piyush Sangwan (72) moved into fourth place on 145, while Raghu Bir Choudhary (77) was fifth at 150. Veer Ahlawat (73), Jairaj Sandhu (76) and Tapendra Ghai (77) shared sixth place at 151.
In Category B, Arjun Prasad (75-76) led the field with a total of 151, followed by Tanvir Kahlon (77-78).