US Kids Golf: Harjai Milkha tops, Nihal stands second in European Championships

Harjai Milkha Singh proved he is a chip of the old block as he finished strongly with three birdies in the last five holes to card 2-under 70 and take sole lead in Boys 13 category of the US Kids Golf European Championship here.

Playing in extremely cold and freezing conditions, Harjai, son of Indian golf legend Jeev Milkha Singh, and grandson of the Olympic icon the late Milkha Singh, leads at 2-under 142. 

With rounds of 72-70, he is two ahead of three others at tied second.

The Indians, who gained an entry into the event after solid showings on local Tours, had another fine day at the highly competitive European Championship. 

While Harjai is in sole lead in Boys 13, Nihal Cheema, the youngest member of the 16-strong Indian squad, is tied-second in Boys under-7. 

Bengaluru's Adit Veeramachaneni is sole third in Boys 9 section. and Vihaan Jain is tied-fifth in the Boys 13 competition.

All three Indian girls figured in top-seven. First day co-leader Mahreen Bhatia slipped to tied third with a 75 in Girls 13-14 category at the Royal Musselburgh Golf Club.

Naina Kapoor (81-85) rose to tied-fifth in the Girls 11 section but Ananyaa Sood (77-75) slipped from tied-sixth to seventh in Girls 12.

In Boys 13, one of the most competitive sections, Harjai was 2-over after seven holes with one birdie and three bogeys, but a birdie on eighth saw him turn in one-over.

On the back nine, Harjai was in full flow as he birdied three times in last five holes. The birdies came on 14th, 15th and 17th holes. With one more round to go Chandigarh golfer is two ahead of American Colin McAskin (73-71), South Africa's Jordan Botha (75-69) and England's Kodi Dean of (77-67).

Also in Boys 13, Vihaan stayed in tied-fifth place with a second round 72 after a first round 72 as he dropped two late bogeys. 

The third player in the section, Srivastava was hit with a triple bogey on the closing 18th as he suffered multiple lipouts on the final hole and ended with a second straight 75 to drop to Tied-11th.

Nihal stood out with a superb bogey free 4-under 32 and rose to second in Boys Under 7, where rounds are nine holes each at Longniddry Golf Club. He rose from tied-fifth to sole second at 4-under for two nine-hole rounds. The leader is Thailand-based Sean Wilding (29-37).

Bengaluru's Adit shot a second straight 72 at Musselburgh Golf Club and moved up from fourth to third. He is five behind leader, Belgium's Victor Bernardini (71-68) and one behind Russian federation's Dmitri Elhchaninov, who shot 73-70.

In Boys 10 section, Vidit dropped from Tied-third to Tied-13th with 75-83, Manyaveer Bhadoo (82-81) slipped one place from Tied-11th to Tied-12th in Boys 15-18.

Harjai from Boys 13 and Mahreen from Girls 13-14 have also qualified for the International Team for the Van Horn Cup to be held after the individual event.