Mundy cashes in on Feroz's erratic play

On a perfect day for golf, Uttam Singh Mundy shot a two-under 70 and cashed in on overnight leader Feroz Ali's erratic form to jump on top of the leaderboard at the midway stage of the inaugural Rs One million Telegraph Open, being played at the par-72 Royal Calcutta Golf Club course, on Thursday.

The twice Honda-Siel PGA champion from Kolkata, looking for his first title on the Hero Honda Golf Tour this season, aggregated two-under 142 to lead by one stroke over Gaurav Ghei of Delhi and Digvijay Singh of Meerut, who were tied for the second place at one-under 143.

Feroz slipped to the fourth place after a round of three-over 75, which put him at level-par for the tournament.

The cut was applied at 12-over 156.

Mundy, who is sponsored by Eveready, shot as many as six birdies. However, his good work was undone by four birdies, three of which came in the first seven holes.

"I gave myself several opportunities and am happy to have posted a two-under 70, especially after being two-over after seven holes. However, being in lead was a bit of surprise as I thought conditions were ripe for good scores," said Mundy, who is currently ranked fourth in the Hero Honda Indian Golf Tour.

Ghei, coming out of a fortnight-long rest during last week's HT ProGolf Delhi where he finished second, was a picture of consistency as he returned the best card of the day. The winner of the Wills Masters on this very course in 2000, he made three birdies in a bogey-free round.

"The course was playing much better today after yesterday's rains. I am playing well and am hopeful of a better result than last week," said the India Cements-sponsored Ghei, who birdied the eighth hole after holing his bunker shot.

Digvijay missed several birdie chances during his round, which contained three birdies and one bogey.

"I will specially rue the missed four-feet putt for birdie on the 14th hole which prevented me from being the joint leader," he said after the round.

Feroz made two double bogeys, on the seventh and ninth, which followed bogeys on the fifth and sixth as he finished the front nine in three-over. A much more composed Feroz made one birdie and one bogey on the back nine to finish the day at three-over 75.

"I could not get going today. The two double bogeys were costly mistakes. Given the scores posted today, it was a perfect opportunity for me to seal the tournament with a good round today," said a disappointed 1998 Indian Open champion.

Among the other well-known names, local favourite Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia shot a 70 to jump up to tied fifth place along side Order of Merit leader Mukesh Kumar, who returned his second successive 73.

Indrajit Bhalotia, Shiv Prakash and Suleman Ali were the other players tied for the fifth place at two-over 146.

KHAITAN OPENS HUGE LEAD: Aditya Khaitan opened a nine-stroke lead over second placed Anshuman Fogla in the amateur section. Khaitan totalled 157 for the two rounds, while Fogla was at 166.

SCORES (after 36 holes): 142 _ Uttam Singh Mundy (72,70); 143 _ Gaurav Ghei (74,69), Digvijay Singh (73,70); 144 _ Feroz Ali (69,75); 146 _ SSP Chowrasia (76,70), Mukesh Kumar (73,73), Indrajit Bhalotia (71,75), Shiv Prakash (71,75), Suleman Ali (70,76); 147 _ Monish Bindra (70,77); 148 _ Rafiq Ali (75,73), Mohd Salim (74,74), Jaiveer Virk (72,76).

Amateurs: 157 _ Aditya Khaitan (77,80); 166 _ Anshuman Fogla (85,81)

Day 1 report: Feroz Ali begins with a bang