Tags:
Journalism of Courage
NEW DELHI, Feb 5: Even as the star attractions of the $750,000 Benson & Hedges Malaysian Open fell to the venomous bite of the Cobra’, nickname of the Saujana Golf & Country Club Course, Jyoti Randhawa made a superb comeback to become the only Indian to make the cut, according to information received here.
American Gerry Norquist was in devastating form as he completed his second successive five-under 67 to lead at 10-under 134. The star attractions of the tournament, Europe’s number two and three Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood and Jeev Milkha Singh and Asia’s number one Kang Wook-soon were some of the major names who missed the cut which was applied at three-over 147.
Randhawa, who was one-over after 12 holes when the first round was suspended, made a bogey on the 14th. He got a hold of his game, scoring three birdies in the last four holes to finish the first round at one-under 71.
In the second, he missed four birdie putts in the 7-10 feet range, but none was more agonising than the one on the 9th(his last) where he failed to sink a three-footer.
Jeev, who was hitting the ball extremely well as demonstrated by his 16 regulations, blamed his putting as he three-putted thrice in a three-over 75 card which took his tally to seven-over 151.
Scores (Indians): 143 Jyoti Randhawa (71, 72); 151 Jeev Milkha Singh (76, 75), 153 Vivek Bhandari (76, 77).
