The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Chopra sizzles, Atwal struggles

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Saturday, Jul 08, 2006

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Sport - Golf

Chopra sizzles, Atwal struggles

LEMONT (US): Daniel Chopra got off to his best start of the season as he carded a five-under 66 to be tied for the top spot, while Arjun Atwal continued to struggle with a horrendous three-over 74 to share the 118th position after the first round of the $5 million Cialis Western Open here on Thursday.

A 10th tee starter, Chopra's only disappointment of the day was a bogey on the 12th as he went into joint lead with three others and finished ahead of veterans such as American Phil Mickelsen (67) and Fijian Vijay Singh (67).

The Indian-born Swede was in prime form as he fired an eagle on the 15th after a birdie on the 13th to be two-under at the halfway mark.

He improved himself further after that as he completed a blemish-free front-nine studded with three birdies — including a brace on the third and fourth — to end the day at the top of the leaderboard.

In contrast, it was another poor opening for Atwal, who will once again struggle to make the cut at the event.

Though the Orlando-based Indian — playing his back-nine first — started well with a birdie on the 10th, a double-bogey on the 13th coupled with two more dropped shots on the 14th and 16th meant that he was once again left with an uphill task of recovering in his other-nine.

Atwal was off to a good start in his front-nine gaining a shot on the second but a brace of bogeys on the sixth and seventh did the damage and a birdie on the ninth proved too little too late as he could not prevent an over-par finish at the tournament.

Randhawa begins well

Meanwhile, Jyoti Randhawa got off to a solid start firing a four-under 68 to share the eighth spot, while Jeev Milkha Singh was tied 22nd with a two-under 70 after the first round of the Smurfit Kappa European Open in Kildare, Ireland.

Randhawa was three strokes off the pace from leader Bradley Dredge of Wales in the $4.2 million European Tour event.

Starting his back nine first, Randhawa birdied the 11th hole before dropping a shot at the 13th. He then birdied the 18th, first, third and fifth holes to finish a good opening round performance at The K Club.

The 34-year-old was a stroke ahead of Thai ace Thongchai Jaidee, who enjoyed a blemish-free round as he birdied the 10th, 13th and fourth holes, to be at the tied 12th spot.

Jeev Milkha Singh scored five birdies against three bogeys for his round of 70. At the top of the leaderboard, Dredge was the joint leader with Swede Niclas Fasth after the duo carded an identical seven-under 65. — UNI

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