SCORESHEET

August 19th 2009, Chennai: Defending champion Mukesh Kumar, Digvijay Singh and Gurbaaz Mann shot identical scores of five under 65 to grab a share of the first round lead at the PGTI-125th Year Madras Gymkhana Club Tamil Nadu Open 2009, an Aircel PGTI event. Vishal Singh is one stroke behind the joint leaders in fourth place.
 

Mukesh Kumar

Defending champion Mukesh Kumar, a 10th tee starter, displayed the kind of form which helped him win the tournament last year. He birdied the 12th, 13th, 15th and 18th as he sank some long putts, including one from 20 feet on the 15th. The 2007-08 PGTI Order of Merit champion’s lone bogey on the first nine was on the 14th. The Mhow-based golfer thus made the turn at three under.

Mukesh’s second bogey of the day came on the fifth where he found the rough and then missed a five footer for par. He continued his good form with the putter over the last stretch to garner birdies on the sixth, seventh and ninth.

“I have been in good hitting form of late but the key lies in doing well with the putter. I’m glad all aspects of my game clicked today including the putting. I had 26 putts in all in round one. I was particularly happy with my effort on the 12th and 15th holes. On the 12th I had a 15 feet putt for eagle and managed to get a birdie while on the 15th I sank a birdie putt from 20 feet,” said Mukesh.

He added, “I feel very confident playing on this course as I have won here a number of times.”

Digvijay Singh started well, hitting his six iron tee shot to within six feet of the flag on the par three second. He then made three consecutive birdies on the seventh, eighth, ninth to make the turn at four under. The Gurgaon-based professional made an up and down from the bunker on the seventh and converted two long putts on the eighth (10 feet) and ninth (12 feet).

On the back nine, Digvijay had a 15-footer for eagle on the 12th but managed to salvage a birdie and subsequently picked up another birdie on the 14th. His lone bogey came on the par three 17th, where he missed a chip and putt after hitting it right of the green.

Digvijay said, “I’m quite pleased with my effort today. I hit it well and made some long putts. The up and down from the bunker on the seventh was very satisfying. The conditions are good as the ball is rolling well on the greens and anyone who is accurate off the tee and hits the fairways will have a distinct advantage. The course is playing soft enough. I enjoyed the weather during the latter half of my round as the wind picked up.”
 

Gurbaaz Mann

Gurbaaz Mann started with a birdie on the first and picked up three more birdies on the seventh, 10th and 12th before dropping his only bogey of the day on the 15th. He missed a four feet putt for par on the 15th. The Chandigarh-based professional made birdie-par-birdie on the last three holes to finish round one in the joint lead along with Digvijay and Mukesh Kumar. Gurbaaz closed his round in style as he holed his bunker shot for birdie on the 18th.

Mann said, “I wouldn’t call today’s effort an exceptional one. It was a meticulous and instinctive round. I was relaxed and I played some regulation golf. I did not miss too may putts and hit it well. The bunker shot on the 18th was definitely the highlight of my round. I had a good lie in the bunker on the final hole and I thought I could hole it and it was great to actually achieve it.

Jaipur’s Vishal Singh fired five birdies and a lone bogey to be lone fourth at four under 66.

Shamim Khan of Delhi and Bangladesh’s Shahid are tied fifth at three under 67. 

Chennai’s Sandeep Syal is tied for 12th after shooting one under 69.