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Coal India Open: Bangladesh's Jamal Hossain produced a superb second-round display at the Coal India Open, firing a seven-under 63 to move two shots clear at the top of the leaderboard after weather disruptions forced the tournament to be shortened. The six-time DP World PGTI winner carded seven birdies, an eagle and two bogeys to reach 12-under 128 after 36 holes at Kolkata's Tollygunge Club. The 41-year-old had started the round three shots behind overnight leader Om Prakash Chouhan. Play was interrupted by heavy rain on Wednesday, leaving Hossain among those who had to return on Thursday to finish their rounds.

Hossain's Chip-Ins Prove Decisive In Kolkata

Two chip-ins played a major role in Hossain's impressive card, with one coming at the eighth hole and another at the par-five 13th.

The latter produced an eagle and helped him take control of the tournament.

“I chipped in twice, on the eighth and 13th, so I’m very happy with the round,” Hossain said.

“The course was soft, and the ball was not travelling as much after landing, which made hitting fairways very important.”

His accuracy off the tee proved particularly valuable in the wet conditions, with Hossain estimating that he missed only two or three fairways throughout the round.

“I drove the ball really well and found most of the fairways. That made a big difference in these conditions,” he said.

Lucky Escape Keeps Hossain On Top

Hossain also survived a nervy moment on the par-three 18th when his five-iron moved right and struck the out-of-bounds boundary before bouncing back onto the course.

The golfer made the most of the reprieve, saving par and carrying the momentum into the remainder of his round.

“I was lucky on the 18th because the ball came back into play after hitting the boundary,” he said.

“I managed to save par, and that changed the momentum of my round. I played very well after that.”

Delhi's Kshitij Naveed Kaul sits second at 10-under 130, while Chandigarh's Akshay Sharma and Ajeetesh Sandhu share third on nine-under 131. Saptak Talwar, Chouhan and Shubham Jaglan are tied fifth at eight-under.

The event has been reduced to 54 holes because of the rain. Hossain, who has previously won at Tollygunge Club, will chase another title when the final round begins Friday with a shotgun start.

“Whenever I play at Tollygunge Club, it feels like my home course,” he said. “It is one of my favourite courses, and I always seem to play good golf here. I’ll go out tomorrow and try to do my best.”