Shiv Kapur shoots into lead

Rookie Shiv Kapur, in quest of his second title in only his fifth appearance on the Amby Valley PGAI Tour, fired a brilliant five-under 67 to leap-frog to a one-stroke lead at the mid-way stage of the Rs 1.5 million Tata Open 2004, being played at the Beldih & Golmuri Golf Courses, on Wednesday.

Shiv, who played the par-72 Beldih course today, tallies an impressive 11-under 131 for the event with two rounds still remaining to be played.

The tournament is being played over two courses, the other being the par-70 Golmuri Golf Course. The format had half the field playing one course and the other half the other on day one, with the order reversed today. 

The final two rounds (after the cut is applied), will have the golfers play nine holes on each course during their 18-hole sojourn.

Overnight leader Mohd. Nawab of Patna, fired a three-under 69 at the Beldih facility on the heels of his opening round 63 to sit at second position at ten-under 132. Amby Valley PGAI Tour Order of Merit leader Ashok Kumar returned a card of four-under 68 and along with Meerut's Digvijay Singh (both played the Beldih today) shared the third -position at nine-under 133.

The cut was applied at four-over 146.

Shiv Kapur was a victim of the putter today else he would have returned a far lower card and indeed comfortably broken the existing course record of six-under 66.

"I missed four to five birdie putts from ten feet and less which is just not done at this level of golf," said the 22-year-old Asian Games gold medallist.

Today Shiv's front-nine was error free dotted with birdies on the fourth and seventh. On his return journey, the youngster dropped a shot on the tenth. If a birdie on the11th saw him regain lost ground, an eagle on the following hole courtesy a superb four-iron second shot from the edge of the second hole's ladies tee-box did him even better. 

A bogey on the 14th sandwiched between birdies on the 13th and 16th were the other eventful holes in Shiv's round of 67.

"Tomorrow we will have to play nine holes on each course. Having never done that before, I will need to adapt fast but, really, I don't see too much of a problem," smiled the Arjuna Awardee.

Mohammad Nawab admitted to being under pressure when he teed it up today. Elder brother Mohd. Islam had advised him to take it one stroke at a time and play his natural game. Nawab did try this and started well enough with a birdie but went on to drop a shot on the fifth. He birdied the seventh but was victim of a double bogey on the following hole. 

One over after nine holes and Nawab had had enough. The 26-year-old steeled himself thereafter and went on to reel off as many as five birdies on the tenth, 11th, 12th, 13th and 18th, with a lone bogey on the 17th handing him a card of three-under 69.

The Indian Cements-sponsored Ashok Kumar, prior to the lemon break, had bogeys on the sixth and eighth and birdies on the seventh and ninth. 

Thereafter, he caught fire spraying his card with birdies on the 11th, 12th, 15th and 16th to finish at four-under 68.

"I played well, but a couple of short missed putts prevented me from playing better," said the golfer, who is incidentally looking for his fifth straight win on the Amby Valley PGAI Tour.

Digvijay Singh is experiencing a birdie blitz this week. The 32-year-old has 17 birdies in two rounds at the Tata Open 2004. Today 'Diggy' made nine of those. His impressive card of five-under 65 was however smudged with bogeys on the second, fifth, eighth and 15th.

"It's a tight contest and I'll have to dish out my best to beat guys of this quality," he said.

Navtez leads amateur field: Navtez Singh shot a one-over 73 at Beldih to lead the amateur field at four-over 146, five strokes better than second-placed Karan Taunk (151).

SCORES (after 36 holes, par-142): 131 Shiv Kapur(64,67*); 132 Mohd. Nawab(63,69*); 133 Digvijay Singh(66*,67), Ashok Kumar(65,68*); 134 Vijay Kumar(69*,65); 135 Shiv Prakash(68*,67); 136 C Muniyappa(68*,68); 137 Ali Sher(68*,69), Gurbaaz Mann(66,71*); 138 Mohd. Salim(70*,68).

* Denotes round played at the par-72 Beldih Golf Course.