Chopra, Atwal make modest starts on US PGA Tour

White Sulphur Springs (US): Indian golfer Arjun Atwal shot a roller-coaster even-par 70 to lie tied 63rd after the opening round of the Greenbrier Classic here.

The score gave him a chance of hanging in for the weekend rounds as the cut looks likely at even par and among those struggling at two-over 72 was Tiger Woods, who has now taken over the lead in FedEx Standings. Daniel Chopra, who will be playing his first Major championships in three years at the British Open later this month, opened with a one-under 69 that included a triple bogey and was lying 41st. But the surprise of the day was 49-year-old Vijay Singh, who shot his best round in almost six months with a seven-under 63. He was one clear over Jeff Maggert (64), Jonathan Byrd and Martin Flores. Atwal had three birdies on first, ninth and 12th and his bogeys came on the fifth, seventh and 13th. Chopra, who has two PGA Tour wins and three Nationwide wins against his name, struck five birdies. He could well have been much higher, but for his disastrous triple bogey on the par-four 13th. PTI