Mukesh Kumar shoots
six-under 66

Mukesh Kumar fired a superb round of six-under 66 to grab a one-stroke lead over arch-rival Feroz Ali, after the opening round of the Rs 700,000 The Hindu Open, being played at the par-72, Cosmo-TNGF Open Golf Course, in Chennai, on Tuesday. The tournament is the fifth stop on the 2002-03 Hero Honda Golf Tour.

Delhi's Pappan and Vinod Kumar (D) along with Kolkata's Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia were tied for the third position, at four-under 68, one stroke behind second placed Feroz Ali. Gaurav Ghei who just returned after playing the Mercury Masters in Taiwan (an event on the Asian PGA Tour), was tied sixth with Rafiq Ali at three-under 69.

Promising Delhi youngster Ashok Kumar and Lucknow's Sheeraz Kalra were tied eighth with ColorPlus Open winner Digvijay Singh at two-under 70.

Mukesh, a tenth tee starter began in style, with a birdie on the opening hole. His growing confidence was apparent when he chipped in from over 20 feet to birdie the 12th. One hole later he bettered that effort finding the cup from a distance of 25 feet for his second chip-in of the day and third birdie overall. Another birdie on the 16th followed by a bogey finish to his outward journey placed him at three-under at the mid-way stage. His back-nine card began and ended with birdies with another birdie on the sixth, handing him the lead at six-under 66.

"My iron-play wasn't that good but my driving was just fine," said Mukesh, who had a wonderful day on and around the greens. "It is too early to predict the result of the tournament but the way I am playing, I feel I stand a good chance of winning," said the thrice 'Champion Golfer of the Year" award winner, who won the TNGF Open, on this very course in September, 2001.

Feroz Ali messed up the advantage he had gained on the front nine. The Kolkata pro went on a rampage early on, sinking birdies on the first, second, fourth, sixth and seventh with a lone bogey on the ninth placing him at four-under on the tenth tee. Thereafter, the Sahara sponsored pro went on to birdie the 11th and 16th but was denied the opportunity to share the lead with Mukesh, courtesy a bogey on the 17th.

"It was a bit disappointing, bogeying the 17th but there is not much to complain about in today's round," said Feroz.

Meanwhile, winner of the ColorPlus Open Sandeep Syal finished with a level par-72 to share the lead with CV Yudhvir.

SCORES (after 18 holes): 66_Mukesh Kumar (Mhow); 67_Feroz Ali (Kolkata); 68_Pappan (Del), SSP Chowrasia (Kolkata), Vinod Kumar (Del); 69_Rafiq Ali (Kolkata), Gaurav Ghei (Delhi); 70_Ashok Kumar (Delhi), Digvijay Singh (Meerut), Sheeraz Kalra (Lucknow).

Amateurs: (all Chennai): 72_Sandeep Syal, C V Yudhvir; 74_B Gurunath.