Bhavik Patel grabbed the first-round lead at the Brasil Champions presented by Embrase with a 9-under 62 on Thursday afternoon at São Paulo Golf Club. Patel leads by one over Argentina’s Julian Etulain and Matt Atkins.
Two back are Travis Bertoni, Oscar Fraustro, Andrew Svoboda, São Paulo native Lucas Lee, Sebastian Cappelen and Ryan Yip.
“I just zoned out,” said Patel, who didn’t realize he recorded 11 birdies on his scorecard. “It was working, so I didn’t even think about it.”
AUSTRALIAN Steve Allan has climbed the leaderboard on Friday in Brazil as two of his compatriots also did enough to make the weekend action.
After shooting a first round 2-under 69, Allan followed up with a second round 6-under 65 to fight his way up into a share of 17th at the Web.com Tour’s Brasil Champions tournament.
The Melburnian is five shots behind American leaders Bhavik Patel and Andrew Svoboda.
Kiwi golfer Josh Geary stays in the hunt at the Brasil Champions in Sao Paulo
Josh Geary has continued his consistent play at the Brasil Champions to move into the top 10 with a round to play in Sao Paulo.
Back on the Web.com Tour, the feeder tour to the PGA Tour, for the first time in three years, Geary carded a six-under 65 - his third consecutive round in the 60s - to take a share of 10th place on 13-under.
The Tauranga professional is tied with American Jason Millard and Mexico's Oscar Fraustro, six shots behind leader Andrew Svoboda of the USA.
American Andrew Svoboda, who has missed his last two cuts on the Web.Com Tour has won the Web.Com Tour’s Brasil Champions event in Sao Paulo Brasil, the 35 year old home by one shot over Bhavik Patel.