Ashok takes round one lead at 9th TATA open Golf tourney

Jamshedpur : Delhi`s Ashok Kumar took the round one lead at the 9th TATA Open Golf tournament after firing a whirlwind seven under 59 at the Golmuri Golf Course here on Thursday.

Vikrant Chopra, Vijay Kumar and Rafick Ali Mollah were tied second with matching scores of five under. While Vikrant and Vijay fired scores of five under 67 at Beldih, Rafick posted his five under 61 at Golmuri . Ashok Kumar`s first round 59 featured eight birdies and a bogey. He dropped a bogey on the third but came back strongly firing birdies on the fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth to be three under at the turn.Beginning with a birdie on the first, hitting his tee shot to within six feet, Vikrant`s 67 was punctuated by an eagle, five birdies and two bogeys. He followed it up with another birdie on the third where he made a good up and down from the bunker. The Delhi golfer made bogey-birdie on the 15th and 16th before finishing his day at five under. Rafick Ali of Kolkata, who is currently tied second after having fired five under 61 at Golmuri, made a hole-in-one on the 11th hole.Vijay Kumar of Lucknow made seven birdies against two bogeys in his round of 67. Bangladesh`s Md Zamal Hossain Mollah lies fifth at the moment as he carded a four under 62 at Golmuri. Defending champion Gurki Shergill, Ali Sher, Chiragh Kumar and Manav Jaini share sixth place along with Ajeetesh Sandhu. Shergill made five birdies and two bogeys in his round of 69 at Beldih. One half of the field played 18 holes on par 72 Beldih Golf course while the golfers in the other half completed their rounds at the par 66 Golmuri Golf Course. On Friday both halves of the field will switch venues. Bureau Report