Mukesh blasts course
record, takes lead

India’s top-ranked golfer Mukesh Kumar inflicted a dual blow on overnight leader and Asia’s eighth ranked pro Vivek Bhandari, grabbing both his lead and course record with the help of a scintillating third-round eight-under 64 at the Rs 700,000 Noida Open Golf championship 2001.

Mukesh bettered Bhandari course record, a seven-under 65, set in the opening round of this very tournament two days ago.

The ninth leg of the 2001-02 Hero Honda Golf Tour, the tournament is being played at the par-72, 6,940-yard Noida Golf Course.

Bhandari is now placed second at 14-under 202, one stroke behind Mukesh’s 15-under 201. Kanpur’s Shiv Prakash played well for his four-under 68 but had to settle for third position at nine-under 207.

Calcutta's Basad Ali was fourth at 211 while another Calcuuan Indrajit Bhalotia was tied fifth with Delhi’s Rohtas Singh at 212. The duo of Uttam Mundy (Calcutta) and Digvijay Singh (Meerut) were tied seventh at 213.

"It feels great to break the course record. This is the best round of golf I have ever played," said Mukesh.

However, this was not his best ever round in terms of figures. Not even his best round this season. The in-form golfer returned a nine-under 63 at the TNGF Open at the Cosmopolitan Golf Club, Madras, in September this year.

"I have played to nine-under as many as four times in my career, but this eight under is special as it came under pressure against a player of the caliber of Vivek Bhandari," said the leader of the Order of Merit.

Already having expressed a keen desire to defend his title, Mukesh was a picture of intense concentration on Saturday.

"I never believed even for a minute that I would slip up at any stage. Not once."

The Mhow-based golfer wasted little time in erasing the overnight one-stroke lead held by Bhandari. A birdie on the 3rd, where Bhandari dropped a shot handed Mukesh the lead, which he never relinquished.

"My hitting was exemplary but I must give credit to the way Bhandari played. It reminded me to an extent of last week’s round against Rahil Gangjee. Only this time things went my way."

Calcutta's Gangjee had beaten Mukesh to the ropes at the HT Pro-Golf 2001 in Lucknow last week despite a classic final day charge by the latter.

"The golf course is just superb. That accounts for the course records this week," added the two-time ‘Player of the Year’ award winner.

Mukesh returned as many as eight birdies in a bogey-free round. His birdies came on the 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th, 11th, 12th, 16th and 17th.

"My game plan tomorrow is to keep the ball in the center of the fairway. Everything else will fall in place," said the 32-year old.

Vivek Bhandari was a victim of the Mukesh tornado. There was little he did wrong today, except for, maybe, the bogey on the 3rd.

"That bogey tilted the tide Mukesh's way," said Bhandari. "However, this (Mukesh’s) has to be one of the best rounds of golf I have witnessed. He was just fantastic," said the 30-year old Bhandari.

Not that the Delhi Golf Club pro did not put up a fight. To his credit it must be said that he fought tooth and nail to return a six-under 66. The highlight of his round was a 30 feet eagle putt on the 17th. This brought him on par with Mukesh’s score but the eventual leader foiled Bhandari’s efforts with a birdie on that hole.

"I am not too disappointed to lose the course record. It had to happen sometime. My main aim is to win tomorrow," said Bhandari, who birdied the 2nd, 8th, 9th, 14th and 15th other than his bogey on the 3rd and eagle on the 17th.

Bahuguna grabs amateur lead: Saurav Bahuguna grabbed the lead among the amateurs with a tally of six-over 222. Vikrant Chopra and Simarjeet Singh were jointly placed second at 225.

Scores (after 54 holes): 201_Mukesh Kumar(71,66,64); 202_Vivek Bhandari(65,71,66); 207_Shiv Prakash(70,69,68); 211_Basad Ali(73,68,70); 212_Indrajit Bhalortia(72,71,69), Rohtas Singh(72,69,71); 213_Uttam Mundy(70,75,68), Digvijay Singh(73,67,73); 214_Harmeet Kahlon(75,67,72); 215_Arjun Singh(74,71,70), Vijay Kumar(73,68,74).

Amateurs: 222_Saurav Bahuguna(73,76,73); 225_Vikrant Chopra(76,77,72), Simarjeet Singh(73,77,75)