Feroz Ali begins with a bang

Feroz Ali continued with his impressive performance on the Hero Honda Indian Golf Tour when he shot up the leaderboard on the opening day of the inaugural Rs One million The Telegraph Open, which began at the par-72 Royal Calcutta Golf Club, on Wednesday.

Feroz, who has virtually grown up in the hallowed precincts of the Royal Calcutta Golf Club, put himself in line for his fourth title in last six starts when he finished the day at three-under 69 despite inclement weather till noon.

Two unheralded youngsters from Delhi -- Suleman Ali and Monish Bindra -- followed the leader at two-under 70.

Kolkata's Indrajit Bhalotia, and Chini Ali and Shiv Prakash of Kanpur were tied for the fourth place at one-under 71.

Order of Merit leader Mukesh Kumar of Mhow made a slow but steady start and was tied for the 11th place at one-over 73. Gaurav Ghei was among eight tied for the 15th place at two-over 74 on a day when the Royal greens played true and fast despite the rains.

Feroz is in the proverbial zone which sportsmen dream to be in. After the last-day hiccup at the HT ProGolf Kolkata at the Tollygunge Club when he lost a sure-shot title to Bhalotia, the 1998 Indian Open winner has developed Midas-like touch. With three titles in five start thereafter, he has emerged as a potential threat to runaway Order of Merit leader Mukesh Kumar's chances of winning the Mahindra Champion Player of the Year award for the third successive season.

"My game is at its peak right now. I was always hitting the ball well but was having trouble with my putting. With my new 'pendulum putt', I have started becoming much more consistent on the greens," said the 31-year-old after the day's play.

"This is my homecourse and I would like to win here in front of my fans," he added.

Feroz would be ruing missing a birdie on the par-5 fourth, but made up for the mistake with birdies on the first, ninth, 15th and 16th. His only bogey of the day came on the fifth hole.

"I played solid from tee to green today," he said on the round.

Bindra, who was the Rookie of the Year in 1997-98 but has done little of note thereafter, played like a dream on his first nine after starting from the 10th tee. Bindra made a hat-trick of birdies from the 14th onwards, and his only bogey of the day came on the ninth, his final hole of the day.

"The fact that I bogeyed the last, hurt. But I was happy with the way I conducted myself on the course today," said Bindra.

Suleman had a similar experience of bogeying the final 18th hole after starting from the first. But his birdies on the second, eighth and 15th ensured him the second best card of the day.

KHAITAN LEADS AMATEURS: Aditya Khaitan, coming back from an injury, led the amateurs with a round of 77. Varun Sahay was second at 78.

SCORES (after 18 holes): 69 _ Feroz Ali; 70 _ Suleman Ali, Monish Bindra; 71 _ Indrajit Bhalotia, Chini Ali, Shiv Prakash; 72 _ Jaiveer Virk, Uttam Singh Mundy, Vishal Singh, Zai Kipgen; 73 _ Digvijay Singh, Jumman, Mukesh Kumar, Sheeraz Kalra; 74 _ Binod Pandey, Gursimran Sethi, Gaurav Ghei, Gurki Shergill, Mohd Islam, Mohd Salim, Rahil Gangjee, Raju Ali