By IANS,
Newport (Wales) : Jeev Milkha Singh chasing his first win in more than 18 months, opened the Celtic Manor Wales Open in a blazing fashion with a bogey-free six-under 65 that included a hat-trick of birdies on the last three holes in the first round of the Celtic Manor Wales Open here.
The card of 65 Thursday gave Jeev the tied third spot, two shots behind Scott Strange, who had seven birdies on the back stretch. Edoardo Molinari of Italy is lying second with a card of 64.
Meanwhile, it was not too good a day for the other three Indians in the field. Jyoti Randhawa and S.S.P. Chowrasia shot one-over 72 each and were tied 91st, while Shiv Kapur was two-over 73 in 111th place.
Jeev, who missed the cut last week at BMW PGA Championships, had held a share of the lead in first round the week before at the Irish Open but slumped to 40th. “But now I need to finish better,” he said.
“I putted well, needing 26 for the round and also scrambled well every time I missed the fairway,” he added.
Jeev birdied the second and ninth on the front nine and then added another on 13th before birdying the last three.
In Glenview, Illinois Arjun Atwal shot a fine five-under 67 as he continued his climb into the PGA Tour ranks with another fine first round performance at the Nationwide Tour’s $750,000 Bank of America Open Thursday. Atwal is placed tied 10th after the first round.
Atwal, who is now 13th in the race to top-25 for a PGA berth next season, shot seven birdies and two bogeys in his card of 67 that gave him a share of the tenth place after first round and he was four shots behind Kyle Reifers (63). Reifers had a stunning round with three eagles in a single round and he had a two-stroke lead over David Lutterus, Keith Nolan, Kris Blanks and Darron Stiles. Reifers eagled fifth, 14 and 18 at The Glen Club.
Atwal started with two birdies on first two holes and a third one on fourth to go three-under. But two bogeys on eighth and ninth meant he turned in one-under. On the back nine, he birdied the 10th and 11th and added two more on the 14th and 15th to go five-under. Atwal’s highlight of the day was his putting as he needed just 25 for his round.
In Dublin, Ohio, Daniel Chopra played an error-filled four-over 76 that has left him a lot of work to do to make the weekend cut at the Memorial on Thursday. The Indo-Swede, who is 25th on the PGA Tour money list, is tied for 78th place.
Matthew Goggin taking just nine putts over his last nine holes shot a seven-under 65 to take lead and he was one ahead of Jerry Kelly and Kenny Perry.