The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Rahil Gangjee begins well

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 14, 2006

Sport

Sport - Golf

Rahil Gangjee begins well

Beijing: Rahil Gangjee continued his love affair with Beijing as he opened his campaign at the $1.8 million Volvo China Open golf with a fine four-under 68 that put him in tied eighth spot and within two shots of leader, Frenchman Christian Cevar, on Thursday.

Gangjee said the Chinese capital was proving to be a lucky venue for him.

``It was here in 2004 at the Volkswagen Masters China, that he clinched a breakthrough win, which catapulted him into a higher league. Sure Beijing and China have had fine memories for me,'' said Gangjee as he finished as the leading Asian at the end of the first round at the Beijing Hong Hua International Golf Club.

At five-under after eight holes, Gangjee confessed his mind was racing.

``I was trying to push it as far as I could. I didn't set a limit as to how far I could go. People say six or seven under is good but it didn't seem to happen.

``I'm not going to be hard on myself,'' said the Kolkata lad.

Three of the five other Indians were full of errors in first half and then error-free on the return journey.

Jeev Milkha Singh (72 and tied 47th), Shiv Kapur (73 and tied 67th) and Gaurav Ghei (74 and tied 82nd) all started on the tenth and had 38, 40 and 41 on the first nine.

Jeev opened with a birdie and then bogeyed the next two and added one more on 18th.

Kapur had three doubles and two birdies and Ghei was five over after five as Indians looked headed for nightmarish cards.

They steadied and played some great golf in the second half. Kapur and Ghei scored bogey-free 33 each and Jeev, too, had no bogeys in his 34 to make up for their morning follies.

Amandeep Johl (75 and tied 98th) and Harmeet Kahlon (76 and tied 116th) will need to work hard on the second day.

With the cut looking one or two over, the Indians will need to be on their toes on the second day. — PTI

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