Bangkok: Rising star Gaganjeet Bhullar
brought home the lone-sub par card by an Indian to lie tied
24th but compatriots C Muniyappa and Gaurav Ghei stare at
early exit after poor starts in the Asian Tour Internationals
golf tournament here on Thursday.
Kolkata pro Rahil Gangjee turned in an even-par 72 to be
tied 38th while Himmat Rai (77), Muniyappa (78) and Ghei (81)
stuttered to poor opening rounds in the season-opening USD
300,000 event at the Suwan Golf and Country Club.
Bhullar had a strong front nine and thanks to the fifth
hole birdie, took the turn at one-under.
Things were little hectic on his way back where the 13th
hole birdie put him at two-under before bogeys on the 15th and
16th holes undid all his good work.
Bhullar, however, signed off with a final hole birdie for
return a sub-par card.
Gangjee, playing his back nine first, birdied the 15th
but bogeys on the 12th and 18th meant he was one-over at the
turn.
The diminutive Kolkata pro fired an eagle on the par-five
second hole to bounce back but the sixth hole bogey denied him
a sub-par card in the end.
Himmat Rai went into the tournament hoping for a perfect
start to a new season but apart from the second hole birdie,
nothing went right and he dropped six shots in the back nine
to slip to tied 123rd.
Muniyappa's round was even worse, where five bogeys and a
double bogey -- as against the lone fourth hole birdie -- put
him down at tied 128th.
Gaurav Ghei was tied 137th after going nine-over 81 in
his opening round, dropping shots in half of the 18 holes.
Ghei's erratic round included eight bogeys, one double
bogey and just one birdie.
The trio of Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Lucas Lee and Jason
Knutzon share the lead at four-under 68.
Two-time Asian Tour winner American Knutzon rose from his
sick bed to take the lead by firing five birdies against a
lone bogey.
"It's pretty amazing when you have something else to
think about. I was just trying to get out there to play. I
knew I would start today and give it my best effort," said
Knutzon.
"Luckily it was pretty cool this morning which helped but
I was kind of gassing it coming in. I was pretty tired. I've
got some kind of infection, bad throat, bad fever. I'm sure
it'll be better tomorrow. Anytime you shoot under par should
make you feel a bit better," said the American.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, February 04, 2010, 18:47