Digvijay takes 6-stroke lead
Digvijay Singh sat on the brink of his second Hero Honda
Golf Tour title of the season courtesy a brilliantly compiled six-under 66,
in the penultimate round of the Rs 600,000 ColorPlus Open, being played at the
Cosmo-TNGF Golf Course, on Thursday.
He goes into the final round with a clear six-stroke advantage, and a tournament tally of 13-under 203.
The tournament is the fourth leg of the 2002-03 season's Hero Honda Golf Tour.
Meanwhile, overnight leader Mukesh Kumar, returned a two-over 74 to slip to
third position, one stroke behind Delhi youngster Shamim Khan, who tallied
seven-under 209.
Lucknow's Bhoop Singh was placed fourth at 211 while Kolkatans Uttam Singh Mundy and Rafiq Ali, were tied with Delhi's Monish Bindra and Patna's Mohd. Islam at fifth position and a tally of 212.
Digvijay started in style with a birdie on the very first hole. Braving the
searing Chennai-heat, the Royal Springs Open 2002 winner kept his cool to
sink back-to-back birdies on the third and fourth and then the sixth and
seventh interspersed by a bogey on the fifth. Four-under on the tenth tee,
Digvijay birdied the 11th, saved par with a 15-foot effort on the 12th green
and then went on to return another birdie on the 15th.
Despite the huge lead, the ever-smiling golfer was modest enough to hide his
joy.
"You can never predict anything till the last hole is played. I still
don't consider myself as the champion. However, if I win, it will be a great
moment," said Digvijay.
Meanwhile, Mukesh Kumar, who had finished joint second last week at the TNGF
Open, was way below his best. After a birdie on the second placed the
33-year-old at one-under after the front-nine, the Mhow golfer dropped a
stroke each on the tenth, 15th and 17th to fall way behind the leader.
"Nothing went right for me today. I missed a crucial birdie putt on the 12th
from a very close range. That upset me a lot. I am far from satisfied," said
the 'thrice 'Champion Golfer of the Year' award winner.
In the amateur section, Sandeep Syal and L Selvadurai shot one-over 73 each but
the former still led the field at one-over 217.
SCORES (after 54 holes): 203_Digvijay Singh (67, 70, 66); 209_Shamim Khan
(69, 69, 71); 210_Mukesh Kumar (67, 69, 74); 211_Bhoop Singh (71, 70, 70);
212_Monish Bindra (73, 70, 69); Uttam Singh Mundy (71, 71, 70), Rafiq Ali
(70, 72, 70), Mohammed Islam (71, 70, 71); 213_SSP Chowrasia (72, 69, 72),
Shiv Prakash (Kanpur) (69, 70, 74).
Amateurs: 217_Sandeep Syal (71, 73, 73);
221_L Selvadurai (75, 73, 73); 224_B Gurunath (76, 73, 75); 225_CV Yudhvir
(75, 75, 75).
Earlier reports
Mukesh Kumar grabs sole lead
Digvijay, Mukesh lead in ColorPlus Open
