Patna-based Railwayman Mohammad Islam caused the biggest upset in the second round of the SRF matchplay golf championship by overpowering fourth seed and former Indian Open champion Vijay Kumar with a final-hole birdie to be one up at the Delhi Golf Club course here on Thursday.
The day saw Ashok Kumar and Shamim Khan, seeded two and three, take their allotted places in the pre-quarterfinals but Vijay Kumar could not make it despite bridging a two-hole deficit by winning the 14th and then chipping in from the bunker for a score-levelling birdie on the 17th.
On the 18th, Islam reached the green in two shots and then sank a birdie to end Vijay's campaign. “I managed to hold my nerves at the end to come through. It feels great to have beaten Vijay Kumar,” said Islam.
In the day's longest battle, Randhir Singh Ghotra prevailed over eighth seed Sanjay Kumar on the 22nd hole while Gaurav Ghei used his experience on his home course to beat ninth seed Vikrant Chopra 4 and 3.
Two-time Indian Open champion Ali Sher knocked out 10th seed Vishal Singh to enter the pre-quarterfinals.
R. Srinivas ousted first-day hero Shaurya Singh on the 19th hole to move ahead. Shaurya had shocked top seed Mukesh Kumar on Wednesday.
The results (second round): R. Srinivas bt Shaurya Singh on the 19th hole; Navtez Singh bt Manav Jaini 2 and 1; Randhir Singh Ghotra bt Sanjay Kumar on the 22nd hole; Gaurav Ghei bt Vikrant Chopra 4 and 3; Mohammad Islam bt Vijay Kumar one up; Rajiv Datar bt Mandeo Singh Pathania one up; Harendra Gupta bt Sujjan Singh 2 and 1; Vinod Kumar bt Shiv Prakash 5 and 4; Ashok Kumar bt Ranjit Singh Rathore 3 and 2; Rafick Ali Mollah bt Amritinder Singh 4 and 3; Ranjit Singh bt Om Prakash Chouhan 2 and 1; Ali Sher bt Vishal Singh 2 and 1; Shamim Khan bt Toran Bikram Singh 2 and 1; Chiragh Kumar bt Karanjit Singh Sandhu on the 20th hole; Raju Ali Mollah bt Anthony Paul Choat 2 and 1; R. Murthy bt K. Prabagaran on the 20th hole.
