By IANS,
London : Top Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh, chasing for a British Open berth, got off to a flying start at the European Open with a superb card of four-under 68 for a tied second after the first round at the London Golf Club here Thursday.
The top-five finishers here will earn a berth in the British Open and the final chance comes next week at the Scottish Open, where again the top-five will get a chance to tee up at the Open in Royal Birkdale.
Jeev, playing with his new sponsor Panceltica’s name splashed on his bag, started on the tenth and had three birdies in his first seven holes. He then hit a mid-round blip which saw him drop bogeys on 17th and first, but again a great finish with birdies on three of the last five holes on fifth, eighth and ninth saw him end the day at four-under, where he was tied with a bunch of seven others.
The lead at this stage was held by Englishman Ross Fisher who closed with a dream run of six birdies in a row on his last six holes for a nine-under 63 that put him five clear of his nearest rivals in morning session. He had earlier started with two birdies on tenth and 11th and added two more on 15th and 16th. His lone mistake was the bogey on 17th.
Fisher had earlier played the British Open qualifier Monday and made the grade and did not get a practice round here, but still shot a nine-under 63. One of his drives actually crossed 400 yards, so well did he drive and putt Thursday.
India’s other challengers did not have as great a day as Jyoti Randhawa finished the first round with a two-over 74 with five bogeys and three birdies, while Shiv Kapur shot a 76 with one birdie, three bogeys and one double bogey.