Feroz goes on a birdie spree, takes lead

NEW DELHI, APRIL 6: It was dramatic last six holes on the third day and the actors in it was the lead group, which faced contrasting fortu...

NEW DELHI, APRIL 6: It was dramatic last six holes on the third day and the actors in it was the lead group, which faced contrasting fortunes. Feroz Ali, the 1998 Wills Indian Open champion, whose last visit to Delhi for this year’s Indian Open ended in disaster, went into a different zone as he slotted five birdies in last six holes to take lead after three days of the Rs. 8.5 lakhs SRF Open Golf here. He was 11-under for 54 holes, a one stroke adrift of Ali Sher, who himself had four birdies and one bogey on the last six holes.

In sharp contrast, Jyoti Randhawa, the man in form, fell apart with three bogeys in a row on the last three holes. From being in the joint lead after 12 holes, Jyoti tumbled to joint fourth at five-under 211, and six strokes behind the leader.

Gaurav Ghei, reiterated his liking for the course with a solid 69, which could have been slightly better but for bogeys on the 12th and 18th holes. The bogey on the 18th must have been particularly hard to take, for it has been this hole which has birdied most often and once even eagled to pick up his biggest prize back in 1995 US $ 500,000 Gadgil Masters.

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The newly-married Arjun Atwal and Vijay Kumar, looking out for his third successive top place on the Order of Merit, came into form at the right time with a 68 and 69 respectively. Atwal had just one bogey on a windy day and his five birdies gave him his best card for three days, while Vijay after a sedate front nine, where he had one birdie and one bogey, came alive on the last five holes over which he had three birdies for a day’s work of 69.

After the 12th, Feroz was two strokes behind Ali Sher and Randhawa. Then on the 13th, Feroz’s second shot with 9-Iron brought him within three feet of the pin and gave him a birdie. That came soon after Ali Sher and Randhawa had bogeyed the 12th, which Feroz parred. He admitted that he began believing he could do it at that stage. Over the next few holes, he proved it. On the 16th, he got the line right for a 15-foot birdie putt, but it stopped just short. That was the only birdie he missed on the alst six holes.

The amateurs, too, had a good day, as Shiv Kapur brought in a four-under 68, while Simarjit Singh carded three under and Ashok Kumar two under. Shiv Kapur led with five-under 211, while Ashok was one stroke behind and Simarjeet, who had a horrible first day 78, was third at two-over 220.

Scores (after 54 holes): 205 – Feroze Ali (68, 69, 68); 206 – Ali Sher (70, 65, 71), 208 – Gaurav Ghei (70, 69, 69), 211 – Arjun Atwal (70, 73, 68), Vijay Kumar (69, 73, 69), Jyoti Randhawa (69, 68, 74), Shamim Khan (68, 72, 71); 212 – Shiv Prakash (70, 68, 74); 213 – Jumman (66, 72, 75), SSP Chowrasia (73, 69, 71); 214 – Mohd Maqbool (69, 72, 73), Ranjit Singh (74, 68, 72); 215 – Harmeet Kahlon (75, 69, 71)

Amateurs: 211 – Shiv Kapur (73, 70, 68); 212 – Ashok Kumar (69, 73, 70); Simarjeet singh (78, 73, 69)