Johor Bahru: Himmat Rai was
stranded at five-under after nine holes but compatriots
Gaganjeet Bhullar and Rahil Gangjee brought home matching
three-under 69s before darkness truncated the opening round of
the Iskandar Johor Open golf tournament here today.
Play was suspended for about three hours in the noon due
to inclement weather and even though it eventually resumed,
all players who teed off in the afternoon session are yet to
complete their round.
Of the players who had completed the round, Thailand's
Chinnarat Phadungsil, together with compatriot Pariya
Junhasavasdikul and Mark Purser of New Zealand, made a
spirited start to take the first-round clubhouse lead at
four-under 68 in the USD one million event.
Apart from Rai, Chinese Taipei's Lin Wen-tang and Chang
Tse-peng were also on five-under after 13 and 12 holes
respectively.
Apart from Bhullar and Gangjee, Malaysia's Danny Chia and
defending champion Retief Goosen of South Africa were among
the 11 players bunched in tied fourth position on 69.
Among other Indians in the fray, SSP Chowrasia (70),
Digvijay Singh (71) and Amandeep Johl (71) managed to complete
their round while Anirban Lahiri was stranded at three-under
(6 holes), Manav Jaini at two-under (6 holes), C Muniyappa (14
holes) and Gaurav Ghei (9 holes) at one-under.
Rai was off to a great birdie-eagle start and even though
he dropped a stroke on the 12th hole, birdies on the 14th,
15th and 17th had him at five-under.
Bhullar was his confident self, barring the fifth hole
double bogey and the 16th hole bogey, which he offset with six
birdies.
Leading completed 1st round scores:
68 – Chinnarat Phadungsil, Mark Purser, Pariya
Junhasavasdikul.
69 - Lin Wen-hong, Keith Horne, Retief Goosen, Danny
Chia, Noh Seung-yul, Mars Pucay, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Marcus
Both, Udorn Duangdecha, Rahil Gangjee, Tim Stewart.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, October 22, 2009, 20:09