Sport - Golf

Mukesh Kumar in the van

CHENNAI: After a stuttering start, Mukesh Kumar has slowly settled into a sort of rhythm that could probably serve as a sign of things to come.

The 43-year-old from the Army Golf Club, Mhow, roared into the lead with an excellent round of seven-under 63 to nose ahead of his rivals by three strokes on the second day of the Tamil Nadu Open golf championship at the Madras Gymkhana annexe, here on Thursday.

Mukesh, who shot 67 in the first round and took his total to 10 under 130, had eight birdies and a bogey.

With three titles — the most so far by any golfer this season — in his kitty, Mukesh’s hunger to add to his collection, it seems, hasn’t dipped.

Overnight leader Rafick Ali Mollah, who carded a seven-under 63 to take his total to seven under 133, slipped to second place.

A.S. Lehal, who emerged on top of the leaderboard on Wednesday along with Rafick, carded a one-over 71 to end up in the fifth place along with five others.

Kunal Bhasin and C. Muniyappa are tied third with an identical total of five under 135.

Fifty-three professionals made the cut at four-over 144. The six amateurs in the field will join the 53 professionals for the last two rounds.

Mukesh birdied the second and followed it up with a bogey on the fourth. He picked up two more birdies on the sixth and ninth before making the turn.

On the back nine, Mukesh started with a birdie on the 10th. Three consecutive birdies on the 12th, 13th and 14th helped him make quick progress on the leaderboard.

The scores (second day): 130 Mukesh Kumar (Mhow) 67, 63; 133 Rafick Ali Mollah (Kolkata) 65, 68; 135 Kunal Bhasin (Australia) 67, 68; C. Muniyappa (Bangalore) 70, 65; 136 A.S. Lehal (Chandigarh) 65, 71; Shankar Das (Kolkota) 67, 69; Vijay Kumar (Lucknow) 69, 67; Ranjit Singh (Chandigarh) 68, 68; R. Srinivas (Bangalore) 67, 69; Vivek Bhandari (Delhi) 67, 69.

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