Uttam Singh Mundy fired an error free six-under 66 to leap into the lead at the mid-way stage of the Noida Open 2002, being played at the par-72 Noida Golf Course, on Thursday.

Mundy's tournament tally stood at six-under 138. The tournament forms the 15th leg of the 2002-03 season of the Hero Honda Golf Tour.

Delhi youngsters and joint-overnight leaders Ashok Kumar and Shamim Khan were placed second and third at five-under 139 and three-under 141 respectively.

Stalwarts Vijay Kumar and Mukesh Kumar were tied fourth, with Vinod Kumar, Sanjay Kumar and the other overnight leader and defending champion Vivek Bhandari at two-under 142.

The cut was applied at 11-over 155 with 50 pros and four amateurs making the grade.

Success begets success they say and Uttam Singh Mundy is well on way to proving that saying. The bearded Mundy ended a two-year long dry spell with a victory at the Surya Nepal Masters in Kathmandu three weeks ago. This he admits brought his confidence back.

"My win in Nepal really set the ball rolling.  I have been playing consistent golf all these years but there was something lacking that prevented the win from happening. This summer, I went to Las Vegas and worked on my swing with Jim Fonda, a leading golf coach.  He helped alter my swing style, set-up and ball positioning.  I credit my improved driving to this," said Mundy.

Today, it was his driving that saw the 37-year old return a card of six-under 66.  The Kolkata-based Mundy played an error free round with birdies on the second, eighth, ninth, 13th, 14th and 15th.

"I drove the ball superbly and my putting has also improved," said the Indian Airlines and Eveready-sponsored golfer. 

"From here, I will take it hole by hole," concluded the 37-year old.

If there is one golfer with a mission on the Hero Honda Golf Tour, it is Ashok Kumar. The 21-year old rookie thinks of only one thing whenever he tees it up: winning.  Ashok has on two occasions this season nearly achieved this feat but as he himself admits his aggressive brand of golf has resulted in his having to settle for runner-up finishes at the Hyundai MGC Open, Chennai and the Tata Steel Open, Jamshedpur.

"I have tended to attack the pin and try to force birdies when in sight of a win, whereas someone, like Mukesh, just concentrates on making pars and birdies happen along the way.  This week, I will follow that policy," said Ashok, who shot a two-under 70 today.

Ashok had a very average start to his round and was two-over on the seventh tee courtesy bogeys on the third and sixth. Birdies on the seventh and ninth evened things out. On his return journey, Ashok birdied the very first hole, dropped a shot on the 13th, birdied the 14th and dropped another shot on the 16th. This roller-coaster ride triggered off the aggressive streak in him and for the second time in as many days he sealed his closing holes with birdies, this time, the 17th and 18th.

"I decided to go for it as that was the only way to make up for the earlier errors," said Ashok, who finished off his opening round yesterday with a hat-trick of birdies on the seventh, eighth and ninth.

Simarjeet leads amateurs:  Oil India employee Simarjeet Singh led the amateur field at a tally of six-over 150 while his brother Jasjeet Singh was placed second at eight-over 152.

Scores (after 36 holes): 138_Uttam Mundy (72,66); 139_Ashok Kumar(69,70); 141_Shamim Khan(69,72); 142_Vijay Kumar(74,68), Mukesh Kumar(73,69), Vinod Kumar (72,70), Sanjay Kumar(70,72), Vivek Bhandari(69,73); 143_Pappan(71,72); 144_Ajay Gupta(72,72), Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia(72,72); 145_Zai Kipgen(71,74).

Amateurs: 150_Simarjeet Singh(75,75); 152_Jasjeet Singh(78,74).