Randhawa rendezvous at BPGC

MUMBAI, Dec 17: The first day leader of the Mahindra Invitational Golf tournament at the par 70 Bombay Presidency Golf Club course was no...

MUMBAI, Dec 17: The first day leader of the Mahindra Invitational Golf tournament at the par 70 Bombay Presidency Golf Club course was not a surprise. With the kind of form Meerut’s Jyoti Randhawa has displayed for the past few weeks, a two-stroke lead ahead of the rest of 100-odd professionals and amateurs was regulation. At two-under par 66, Pappan stood second, with a card of 68 placing Basad Ali third.

Randhawa looked in devastating form, setting the pace for his six-under par 64 round with birdies on the first, fourth and eighth

holes to go three under into back nine. Two more birdies on the 12th and 14th put the course record of 63 under threat. Of course, the cash incentive of Rs 1 lakh for equalling the course record adding oil to fire.

“I guess it played too much on my mind,” said Randhawa, as he parred the par-five 16th and 18th losing the cheque by a stroke.

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Having missed the winner’s tag on numerous occasions in the recent past, especially the Honda-Siel Masters which he lost to UttamSingh Mundy in a five hole play-off, Randhawa must surely be looking to exorcise this ghost once and for all. Wih Mahindra Invitational being the last `major’ on the Wills Sports Golf tour of the Professional Golfers Association of India, this is surely his best chance.

Pappan, who incidentally holds the course record along with Daniel Chopra, set last year in the first round of BPGC Open, made a cautious start. His first birdie came on the ninth to go one-under halfway through. The pro, being sponsored by Cosmo Films, strengthened his position with birdies on 10h, 11th, 16th and 18th but dropped a shot on the par-4 12th to stay behind Randhawa.

Basad Ali had a better front nine, going two under and finish the card at 68.

Mhow’s Mukesh Kumar, last year’s Mahindra Rookie Golfer of the Year Monish Bindra (Delhi), Vivek Bhandari and Devendra Patel also recorded sub-par scores going one-under.

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Arjun Atwal and last year’s Golfer of the Year Vijay Kumar ended 18 holes with a steady par round. Defendingchampion Feroz Ali went two over par and was placed join 15th.

Mumbai’s Jagdish Angre and Prakash Kubde were the best bet among the local challenge with rounds of 72 each. Winner of Wills Masters, the inaugural event of he tour, Arjun Singh pulled out after confirming his participation. The Delhi pro was undergoing treatment for a back injury he suffered two and a half months ago.

In the amateur group, Amit Nigam finished with a card of five over par 75 to take a one stroke lead ahead of the pack. Compatriot Rohit Goel followed closely with a card of 76.

Leading Scores>(after 18 holes)

64: Jyoti Randhawa; 66: Pappan; 68: Basad Ali; 69: Vivek Bhandari, Monish Bindra, Devendra Pael, Mukesh Kumar; 70: Arjun Atwal, Vijay Kumar; 71: Juumman, Anil Samanha, Shamim Khan, Rafiq Ali, Shiv Prakash; 72: Rohtas Singh, Feroz Ali, Jagdish Angre, Mohd Khokhan, Indrajit Bhalotia, Uam Singh Mundy, Chini Ali, Prakash Kubde, Rezwan Ali, Amandeep Johl, Vishal Singh.