The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Good show by Ashok Kumar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 16, 2007
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Sport - Golf

Good show by Ashok Kumar

Principal Correspondent

GURGAON: Ashok Kumar blasted a round of four-under 68 to grab a four-stroke lead on the second day of the Rs. 25 lakh ColorPlus open golf tournament at the Golden Greens Golf and Country Club here on Friday.

Heavy rain in the evening for about half-an-hour left the link course drenched. After inspection, the tournament referee decided play was not possible. The 60 golfers, whose second round was interrupted, will start early on Saturday morning to complete the round before starting the third round after the cut is applied.

Ashok was just one stroke behind the overnight leader, S. S. P.

Chowrasia, and he started sedately parring the first four holes. Ashok birdied the par-5 fifth hole and the par-4 sixth to take the turn at two-under with overcast skies providing excellent playing conditions.

On the home stretch, Ashok added a birdie on the par-5 11th hole before he dropped a shot on the par-4 15th. But Ashok pulled himself out with an excellent birdie on the par-3 16th before closing the round with yet another.

"I played a good and steady game today, though I should have avoided that bogey on the 15th," said Ashok. "Still I have a good chance to be aggressive and bid for the fifth title as conditions were ideal for scoring," he added.

Ghei second

Four strokes behind Ashok was Gaurav Ghei, who recovered from a topsy-turvey front nine to post 68. Ghei had three bogeys against two birdies on his outward stretch, but he negated that with five birdies on the inward stretch and stayed within reach of the leader.

Arjun Singh and Shiv Prakash were tied for the third position at four-under 140 and a stroke behind was the Asian Tour regular, Rahil Gangjee.

Chowrasia, who started from the 10th hole, was on the 15th when rain brought a halt to play. He was one-under after having saved a shot on the par-4 14th with a good 20-foot uphill par putt against the wind.

The scores: Ashok Kumar (66, 68) 134; Gaurav Ghei (70, 68) 138; Arjun Singh (71, 69), Shiv Prakash (68, 72) 140; Rahil Gangjee (72, 69), Shiraz Kalra (71, 71), Mandeo Pathania (74, 68) 142; Vijay Kumar (73, 70), G.S. Sethi (73, 70) 143; Siddikur Rahman (Ban) (71, 73), Chiragh Kumar (72, 72), Dipinder S. Khullar (76, 68) 144; Ranjit Singh (72, 69), Manav Jaini (71, 74), A. S. Lehal (71, 74) 145.

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