Yangon, Myanmar, 04-02-2016
Chawrasia shoots six-under-66 for a share of third place in Myanmar
A flawless opening round by SSP Chawrasia (66) put him in an ideal position in Tied-third and two paces off the leader, Antonio Lascuna (64) of the Philippines at the US $ 750,000 Leopalace21 Myanmar Open co-sanctioned with Japan Golf Tour on Thursday.
Chawrasia, who like many players in India and around the world, is seeking to secure his place at the Rio Olympics, led a great start for the Indians in the first round. Two-time Asian Tour winner, Rashid Khan was Tied-ninth with a bogey free 67 while three others Himmat Rai, Shiv Kapur and Arjun Atwal shot 68 each to be Tied-13th.
Rai closed with a bogey, while Kapur bogeyed twice with three-putts on his 16th and 17th holes, the seventh and eighth of the course and Atwal dropped a shot each on two par-fives during 68 at the Royal Mingalardon Golf and Country Club.
Gaganjeet Bhullar (70), who closed with a double bogey, was Tied-49th, while Rahil Gangjee (71) was Tied-64th and Chiragh Kumar (73) was Tied-104th.
Chawrasia, who ended last week in Singapore with a 67, carried on the form as began strongly with four birdies between the second and sixth holes. But there were only two more birdies after that.
Chawrasia said, “It was a nice and clean round with six birdies and no bogeys. The game is in a good place and I found all the fairways except two and even they there were close by. I gave myself decent chances and converted quite a few of them.”
Speaking of his round, he said, “I started strongly with four birdies in first six holes. Then I missed a couple of birdie putts, but that happens. I was happy I managed birdies on three of the four par-fives. The only one I didn’t get a birdie on was the 18th, but that’s okay. Most of the birdie putts came from within 10 feet, as I hit them close.”
Grouped in a early morning start, Rashid teed off from the tenth and had birdies on 12th, 17th and 18thto turn in three-under. He maintained the tempo with birdies on second and ninth to finish five-under.
Rashid said, “I am quite satisfied with it even though I did not drive well, but that is something I am working on. I missed quite a few fairways, but every time I did get to the fairway, I either birdied or gave myself a chance.
“I managed quite a up-and-downs and that helped. My longest putt of the day was from nearly 30 feet on the 17th.”
Kapur started from the tenth and bogeyed the 12th, but the eagle on par-5 14th put him back on the rails. He had a nice run of three birdies from 17th the first as he turned around. Two more birdies on fifth and sixth, brought him to six-under, before the setback at the close.
“It was not a great start (bogey on his third hole) and I had a bad finish, but in between, it was fine. Overall I was happy with my start this season in Abu Dhabi (he was T-11) and here it was a good till those two three-putts (on seventh and eighth).”
Golfxyz.in
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