New Delhi, June 11 (IANS) Windswept conditions and high stakes tested the grit of India’s finest young golfers on Day 2 of the 24th NCR Cup Junior Golf Tournament at the Delhi Golf Club. With valuable World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points on the line, the marquee Category A and B divisions battled the championship Lodhi Course, while the sub-junior categories commenced their campaigns on the picturesque, 9-hole Peacock Course.

Anas Khan is the son of a caddy.

Category A: Khan extends staggering advantage

​Following his first-round hole-in-one, overnight leader Anas Khan showed absolutely no signs of slowing down in Boys’ Category A (15–18 years). Khan put together a masterful, disciplined level-par round of 72 to extend his command over the field, building a massive 8-stroke cushion heading into the next phase of play.

​The biggest movement on the leaderboard came from Ranveer Singh Dhupia. Staging an incredible second-day comeback, Dhupia carded an exceptional level-par 72 of his own, catapulting himself straight into second place. Ayan Dubey sits alone in third position, keeping himself in the hunt with a two-day combined score of 154*.

​In Girls’ Category A, local favourite Ayesha Gupta mounted an excellent charge. Shaking off the tough layout, she carded a brilliant 3-over par round to seize total control of the division, opening up a comfortable 6-stroke advantage over her closest competitors.

​Category B: Pandey braves the wind

​The narrative flipped dramatically in Boys’ Category B (13–14 years) as gusty, swirling winds swept across the Lodhi Course. Chaitanya Pandey showcased immense tactical composure, firing a resilient 2-over par round to break away from the field. His poise under pressure earned him a 3-stroke lead over overnight leader Aditya Misra, setting up a thrilling duel for the final rounds.

​Sub-Juniors set Peacock Course ablaze on opening day

​Thursday marked the highly anticipated opening round for the younger brackets—Category C (11–12 years), Category D (9–10 years), and Category E (Below 9 years)—staged on the tight and technical Peacock Course.

​Category C (11–12 Years)

​Boys: Mohd. Rehan navigated the 9-hole layout beautifully, shooting a sharp 2-over par to claim a narrow 1-stroke lead over Shan Alvi. Chandigarh’s Viraj Sehgal remains hot on their heels in third place.

​Girls: A dead-heat emerged at the top of the leaderboard, with Aaradhya Rawat locked in a tense tie with Unnati Singh for the lead after carding a 4-over par 66. They are closely pursued by Chandigarh’s Arushi Sharma, who finished just two shots back with a 68.

​Category D (9–10 Years)

​Boys: Priyansh Jain put on a clinic, shooting an exceptional level-par round to command the top spot. Yashaswin Sanghi holds second place at 2-over par, followed closely by Leyan Pal at 3-over par.

​Girls: The division is a mirror image of intensity, with Aarya Ganguly and Naaysha S. Sinha sitting in a dead tie for the lead at 3-over par, with Suhani Chandra securely holding the third spot.

​Category E (Under 9 Years)

​Boys: Jordan Savio George set the pace early, grinding out an impressive 1-over par round to secure a slim 1-stroke lead over Keeon Aggarwal. A three-way logjam features Siddhik Chaturvedi, Aprateem, and Naksh Malhotra all tied for third.

​Girls: Manasvi Rathor fired a flawless level-par performance to bag a 1-stroke advantage over a surging Aadya Dayal, who carded a fighting 1-over par. Devyani Dhull currently holds third place after carding a 4-over par.

The tournament is being staged at the iconic Delhi Golf Club, widely regarded as one of Asia’s finest golfing venues and the home of many of India’s most prestigious golf championships. The club has a rich history of hosting leading international and national events and was the venue for the inaugural DP World India Championship last year, a landmark tournament that attracted some of the biggest names in world golf, including Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood.

–IANS

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