Coimbatore, August 20, 2008: Digvijay Singh took the first round lead at the PGTI Players Championship at Coimbatore Golf Club after he carded four under 68 on the opening day. Digvijay made it to the top of the leaderboard with the help of six birdies and two bogeys. Kolkata’s Yusuf Ali is one stroke behind Digvijay in second place. Vijay Kumar and Karanjit Singh Sandhu shot two under 70 to be tied third. Coimbatore’s Joseph Chakola ended the day in tied 84th as he shot 10 over 82 on his home course.
Digvijay Singh dropped a shot with a bogey on the third and followed that up with a birdie on the fifth. He then bogeyed the par three seventh when he missed an easy up and down from the front edge of the green. Digvijay, currently second on the PGTI Order of Merit, made ground with two consecutive birdies on the eighth and ninth to make the turn at one under. On the back nine he made three more birdies on the 12th, 13th and 15th to close the day at four under 68.
“I’m very pleased with my first round effort as I had thought that no one would be able to shoot an under par score on this course due to the wind. But it was not that windy today since the wind was coming and going,” said Digvijay.
The Gurgaon-based professional added, “I think the best moment of the day for me was the birdie on the eighth where my five iron approach shot landed about eight feet short of the pin. I also had a really good par save on the sixth where I holed a 12 feet putt. The biggest disappointment of the day was the bogey on the third. On the third hole I pulled my approach shot towards the left from the centre of the fairway.”
Yusuf Ali’s three under 69 placed him second. Yusuf had a fabulous front nine as he made seven pars and birdies on the second and fifth. On the back nine, he began with a bogey on the 10th and followed that up with three back-to-back birdies on the 11th, 12th and 13th. He then made his second and last bogey of the day on the 16th.
“It’s a very good start for me. I was really happy with the three consecutive birdies on the 11th, 12th and 13th. The birdie on the 11th gave me confidence and lifted my game,” said Yusuf.
Lucknow’s Vijay Kumar trails Yusuf by one stroke for a share of third place. Vijay’s first round began with a bogey on the first but he came back well as he birdied the third, fifth, 10th and 13th. He had another bogey on the 16th.
Karanjit Singh Sandhu also shot 70 to join Vijay in tied third place. Sandhu made birdies on the fifth, ninth, 11th, 15th and bogeyed the sixth and seventh.
Mysore’s Rahul Ganapathy, a double winner on the PGTI this season fired one under 71 to end the day in tied fifth place. Shamim Khan also carded 71 to join Ganapathy in tied fifth.
Harendra Gupta, another winner on the PGTI this season, finished with even par 72 to be tied seventh.
Mukesh Kumar, a three time winner on the PGTI in the 2007-08 season and the current Order of Merit leader, was tied 12th after returning a score of one over 73.
Coimbatore’s Joseph Chakola returned 10 over 82 to finish the day in tied 84th place. Chennai’s Sandeep Syal on the other hand came up with a two over 74 to be tied 17th.
Ashok Kumar, the 2006-07 PGTI Order of Merit winner withdrew from the tournament due to injury after having completed 14 holes in his first round.