Digvijay remains unperturbed

By Our Sports Reporter

GURGAON, APRIL 20. Even as the performances of others improved considerably, overnight leader Digvijay Singh managed to prolong his stay at the top with a birdie-birdie finish in the penultimate round of the J. Hampstead Open golf tournament at the DLF Golf and Country Club course here on Thursday.

Despite the buzz of five-under scores from Harmeet Kahlon and Mukesh Kumar, and the threat posed by Gaurav Ghei and Shiv Prakash in the group ahead, Digvijay remained calm and ended with a three-under 69.

The Meerut-based pro, who has a tally of 10-under 206, goes into the final round with a two-stroke lead over Ghei and Prakash, who stayed in contention with a fine 68 apiece.

``I will take it as another round and try to play my usual game,'' said Digvijay Singh, who managed four birdies after a bogey on the first hole.

As the current Indian PGA Tour approaches its end, the day's play added another twist to the calculations for the `golfer of the year' award.

Mukesh Kumar made a spirited comeback with a 67, which was the best card for the day along with rookie pro Harmeet Kahlon.

In a cliffhanger for the `best golfer' award, Mhow's Mukesh, who was in ninth spot at 212, nudged one stroke ahead of Feroz Ali. In another keen tussle, Digvijay Singh, who trails by approximately Rs. 97,000 in the prize-money to Kahlon for the `rookie of the year', has an outside chance, provided he claims the top prize of Rs. 1,94,400 and Kahlon ends up with a lesser standing. Kahlon concluded the round at fourth spot at 209.

Digvijay stayed ahead throughout the day but there was one moment when he had to share the lead as Shiv Prakash caught up with him on the 11th hole at seven-under. The contest hotted up as Ghei, Uttam Singh Mundy and Chowrasia, who was in the leader group, followed the duo at six-under.

Ghei, who started the day at four-under, made a 10- foot birdie on the par-4 12th hole to go seven-under along with Shiv Prakash. Though Uttam slipped with a bogey, Chowrasia too made a birdie after an immaculate approach shot from more than 140 yards which set up him for a one-foot birdie putt. Digvijay responded with a 12-foot birdie putt to go ahead with eight-under on the 12th hole.

The battle intensified further as Ghei shot back with a birdie on the 15th, after a bogey on the previous, to share the second spot with Shiv Prakash and Chowrasia. Digvijay remained a stroke ahead with a par on the 15th.

Digvijay took a chance on the par-4 17th hole as he cleared a lateral-water hazard with tee-off shot which landed on the green. He utilised the opportunity with a birdie.

Finally, Chowrasia ended with six-under, while Prakash managed eight-under. Ghei's roller-coaster ride continued as he followed up his bogey on the 17th hole with an eagle on the 18th, which was his third successive on the particular hole.

Digvijay rounded off the proceedings with a birdie and summed it up nicely, ``since the final two holes are comparitively easy, it should make it interesting on the final day, if the scores are close.''

lThe scores: Digvijay Singh (67, 70, 69) 206; Gaurav Ghei (70, 70, 68), Shiv Prakash (69, 71, 68) 208; Harmeet Kahlon (71, 71, 67) 209; Amandeep Johl (72, 69, 69), Uttam Singh Mundy (69, 71, 70), S.S.P. Chowrasia (69, 70, 71) 210; Ashok Kumar (A) (69, 70, 72) 211; Mukesh Kumar (74, 71, 67) 212; Indrajit Bhalotia (73, 72, 68) Feroz Ali (73, 72, 68) 213; Rafiq Ali (72, 73, 70) 215; Sanjay Kumar (74, 71, 71), Karan Bindra (70, 75, 71) 216.

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