Chikka on course to defending All India amateur golf title

BANGALORE: Defending champion S Chikkarangappa stayed on course to defend his All India Amateur Golf championships title as he raised his game at crucial moments to enter the semifinals of the event at the Karnataka Golf Association course.
Three locals boys - Pritam Haridas and Udayan Manemade, apart from Chikka - made it to the last four stage, while N Thangaraja of Sri Lanka qualified as the fourth candidate.
On what is generally the toughest day when two rounds are played, Chikka won both his matches comprehensively.
Chikka, who came through as only tied sixth in strokeplay, demolished Rahul Ravi with four holes to play, at which stage he was six-up.
In the semis, Chikka will meet Thangaraja and Pritam Haridas will meet Udayan Mane.
Thangaraja stands between the Bangalore threesome and the All India title.
In the women's section, Gauri Monga looked very impressive with a 7 and 6 win over Tavleen Batra, while defending champion Shreya Ghei beat Amrita Sharma 2 and 1. Monga takes on Aditi Ashok, who beat Amandeep Drall 4 and 3 and Shreya meets Gurbani Singh, who beat Millie Saroha 3 and 2.
Pritam Haridas, who is coached by Rahul Ganapathy and is now the head pro at the KGA, beat Aditya Bhandarkar 4 and 3 in pre-quarters and then scored an equally fine win in quarters over giant-killer, Saqib Ahmed 3 and 2.
Like Chikka, who is coached by Vijay Divecha at the Touche Golf Academy, another Divecha ward, Udayan Mane, also made the semifinals.
Mane beat Samaresh Sardar one-up on 18th in prequarters and then N Thangaraja of Sri Lanka could put a spanner in Indian hopes, as he beat Raghav Wahi on the 19th in the quarterfinals.
Earlier Thangaraja beat Mohd Nazim of Bangladesh 3&1 in prequarters.
Results: Prequarterfinals: Saqib Ahmed beat Raja Sardar 4&3; Pritam Haridas beat Aditya Bhandarkar 4&3; Bhanu Pratap Singh beat Gagan Verma 1-up 18th; Udayan Mane beat Samaresh Sardar 1-up on 18th; Sanjay Lakra beat Abhijit Chadha 2&1; Chikkarangappa beat Rahul Ravi 6&4; Raghav Wahi beat Marimuthu 19th; N Thangaraja beat Md Nazim (Bangladesh) 3&1.
Quarter-finals: Pritam Haridas beat Saqib Ahmed 3&2; Udayan Mane beat Bhanupratap Singh 2&1; S Chikkarangappa beat Sanjay Lakra 3&2; N Thangaraja beat Raghav Wahi 19th.