Rafiq Ali surges ahead

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, DEC.20. Rafiq Ali has been quite at home on the golf courses of this city these days. The young man from Calcutta, who did so well at the Ford-MGC Open on the Gymkhana Club course last August is now blazing a new trail at the Cosmopolitan Club course in the inaugural TNGF Open championship.

On the day when the first round leader, veteran Rohtas Singh, was as good as his putting - which was as bad as it could have gotten - Rafiq pulled away majestically with a second round four under 68. After a first round 70, he is on 138, one stroke ahead of the season's top money winner Shiv Prakash, who also carded a 68.

Rafiq played steady golf from the start but seemed a touch too cautious for his own good until he missed a 4ft par putt to drop what was his only shot of the day after starting on the ninth and making four successive pars.

``I was playing it safe till that bogey. After that I decided to go for it,'' said Rafiq who shot five birdies, on the first, second, fourth, seventh and 16th.

Kanpur-based Shiv Prakash, meanwhile, is having a jolly good time this year on the Tour. He had a hat-trick of birdies today, on the 13th, 14th and 15th, the last with a superb 16ft putt. On the second, he missed a 10ft eagle putt and settled for a birdie and had another on the sixth with the only bogey coming on the fourth.

``I am very happy with both my driving and my chipping and putting. I am looking forward to the next two days,'' said Shiv Prakash.

Rohtas, on the other hand, would be looking to make amends on the morrow. He had a poor start with three bogeys over the first six holes and then the double bogey on the 18th made things worse for the veteran whose putting let him down badly. He finished with a 73 and finds himself in third place.

In fourth place is the meticulous young man from Chandigarh, Harmeet Kahlon. The highlight of his day in the sun was a 30-ft uphill birdie putt on the 11th. Kahlon, after a second successive 71, is in fourth place.

B.Gurunath leads the amateur field after a second round 73 with a total of 152. C.V.Yudvir is in second place with 154.

lLeading pro scores: Rafiq Ali 70,68-138; Shiv Prakash 71,68-139; Rohtas Singh 68,73-141; Harmeet Kahlon 71,71-142; Sanjay Kumar 74,69-143; Rajesh Rawat 72,71-143; Vishal Singh 71,72-143; SSP Chowrasia 69,74-143; Basad Ali 72,72-144; Mukesh Kumar 72,72-144; Uttam Singh Munday 70,74-144.

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