– David Puig still has a chance to qualify directly for the Masters de Augusta No many can say that with three days to go before the deadline to get in via the world top 50. The Spanish golfer sits 75th in the ranking and would move into the top fifty with a victory at the Hero Indian Open. He and only he has created this excellent opportunity. That said, right now he needs a huge miracle. Only a win at the DLF Golf and Country Club will do and at the moment the situation is really tough
The second round of the Indian DP World Tour event could not be completed due to lack of light. Again, small delays have prevented all groups finishing. Among those yet to finish is Puig himself. He was on the tee of the 17th hole, with a round of +1 for a total of +6. In any other tournament, with that score he would be more than doomed for the cut with two holes to play, but India is different. Now he has options
David’s miracle depends on making a two-under on the 17th (par-4) and 18th (par-5), either with two birdies or with a par and an eagle. It’s very difficult, but not impossible. Today three players have managed it: Eugenio Chacarra carded a par and an eagle, as did MJ Daffue, while Khalin Joshi carded birdie and birdie. They are the three examples that should inspire Puig
For there to be a miracle, everything obviously hinges on that two-under across the last two holes, because the cut will almost certainly close at +4. There is a minimal chance it will be +5, but it’s very, very small. Once that first hurdle is cleared, the miracle must continue. The next requirement, probably less difficult than the first, is for the La Garriga golfer to be by far the best over the weekend to erase the deficit to the leader, in this case Eugenio Chacarra (-8). If he makes the cut at +4 he would need to claw back twelve shots, an enormous task, but there is a player who can serve as inspiration here too. That player is Casey Jarvis, who posted a 64 today. If he won, Puig would move to around 45th in the world rankings
– The end of the second day left Chacarra in Cabreza with a one-shot lead over Jarvis (-7) and two over MJ Daffue (-6). The best on the course with holes still to play are Alex Fitzpatrick and Jacob Skov Olesen. Both are at -5 with four holes still to play, including two par-5s. They could still even catch the lead
– As for the Spanish players, beyond Chacarra’s fabulous lead and Quim Vidal’s (-3) notable performance, both in the morning, the following have made the cut: Manu Elvira (-1), Iván Cantero (-1), Jorge Campillo (PAR), Sebas García (+2) and Nacho Elvira (+2), while Pablo Larrazábal, Rafa Cabrera and Ángel Hidalgo have missed the cut
– Beyond Puig, there is Ángel Ayora (PAR) still with two holes to play. The Málaga native is sitting at an excellent two-under with the 17th and 18th to play. He finished with a very good par at the 16th, a magnificent birdie at the 15th with a superb three-quarter 9-iron, an excellent saved par at the 14th with a 5-metre putt, and two sensational birdies at the 12th and 13th, the first with a very good four-metre putt and the second with a perfectly judged wedge to half a metre from the flag. A three-under finish to the day. A good boost for tomorrow. He is currently in the hunt for the victory and could finish even closer tomorrow
