Brilliant fight-back by Mukesh
at HT Pro Golf

The Hero Honda Golf Tour's top-ranked golfer Mukesh Kumar looked every bit that today as he scorched the Chandigarh golf course with a five-under 67. This performance propelled him to just two strokes behind the duo of Feroz Ali and Gaurav Ghei, who jointly lead the Rs 600,000 HT Pro Golf Chandigarh 2002 with a three-day tally of eight-under 208.

The tournament marks the 22nd leg of the 2001-02 Hero Honda Golf Tour.

Third placed Mukesh, at six-under 210, is followed by the dangerous duo of Delhi's Ali Sher and Kolkata's Uttam Singh Mundy at three-under 213 and the tied-fourth position.

Rookie golfer Ashok Kumar playing only his third event on the Hero Honda Golf Tour was placed sixth at two-under 214 while local hero Amandeep Johl and Lucknow's Sanjay Kumar were tied seventh at level-par 216.

Two weeks ago, Mukesh Kumar was mourning the loss of his paternal uncle. Today, he veritably dug a grave for his competitors at the HT Pro-Golf Chandigarh. Whether Feroz Ali and Gaurav Ghei fall into it is yet to be seen, but that most of Chandigarh will be present to witness the battle for supremacy between three of the best golfers on the Tour is very much a certainty.

Feroz Ali, dominated proceedings on the first two days but the law of averages finally caught up with him. The Kolkatan was well placed after his front-nine, with birdies on the 2nd and 3rd and a bogey on the 4th placing him at one-under at that stage. However, a double bogey on the 15th followed by a bogey on the 17th took away the early advantage. A birdie on the 16th was hardly a consolation.

"My putting was terrible today," said Feroz, who incidentally leads the putting averages on the Tour. Feroz played to one-over 73.

Gaurav Ghei played brilliant golf today, and should have rightfully sat alone atop the leader-board. However, a triple-bogey on the 7th, undid all the good work that birdies on the 2nd, 4th, 9th, 14th, 16th and 17th did.

"The triple was a disaster. That I did not crumble mentally after that is a tribute to my mental fitness," said the India Cements sponsored Ghei. "It is this mental strength that I will draw on to win tomorrow," he added.

Ghei's round of one-under 71 also included bogeys on the 3rd and 18th. The hero of the day, Mukesh Kumar made a par-eagle start to his round. Sinking a 40 feet putt for his eagle would have done wonders for his confidence as was rightly proved by the birdie blitz that followed on the 9th, 11th and a hat-trick of birdies on his three closing holes.

"The birdie on the 18th resulted from a near 30 feet putt while he had another 20 feet effort on the 11th. "I was extremely disappointed when I missed the Indian Open a fortnight ago due to my uncle's demise. I am now doubly determined to win this tournament," he said.

Gupta leads amateurs: Harinder Gupta played to two-under 70 today to lead the amateur field by a three-stroke margin. Gupta at 218 was followed by Vikram Singh at 221 while HS Kang was placed third at 225.

SCORES (after 54 holes): 208_Gaurav Ghei (69,68,71), Feroz Ali (67,68,73); 210_Mukesh Kumar (68,75,67); 213_Ali Sher (70,71,72), Uttam Singh Mundy (68,73,72); 214_Ashok Kumar (73,73,68); 216_Amandeeep Johl (73,73,70), Sanjay Kumar (73,71,72); 217_Suleiman Ali (73,73,71), Yusuf Ali (73,73,71); 218_Amritinder Singh (70,72,76); 219_Sheeraz Kalra (75,73,71), Ranjit Singh (71,75,73), Roop Singh (73,70,76); 220_Amit Dube (73,77,70);
Amateurs: 218_Harinder Gupta (76,72,70); 221_Vikram Singh (74,78,69); 225_HS Kang (73,78,74).