Thaindian News

Singapore, Nov 10 (IANS) India’s Rahil Gangjee shot a 6-under par 65 to finish at tied fifth after the first round of the Barclays Singapore Open golf here Thursday while former champion Jeev Milkha Singh played through the pain barrier to shoot a five-under-par 66 for tied ninth.

Italy’s Edoardo Molinari and Briton James Morrison shared the lead on the opening day at the Sentosa Golf Club by shooting a 62 each.

Jeev, a two-time Asian Tour Number 1, needed pain-killers for an injured ankle as he fired an eagle, four birdies and a lone bogey.

Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wen-tang also rose from his sick bed to shoot a 66 at Tanjong for equal eight place at the star-studded $6 million championship, Asia’s richest Open which is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

“I had a pretty good day. I was hurting. My ankle is not good. I was in a lot of pain although it was taped up. I couldn’t swing the club. I had to take a pain killer after 12 holes. I couldn’t release (the club) and couldn’t go on to the left side. I will take it (66). I just wanted to get the round over with,” said Jeev, who triumphed at Sentosa in 2008.

The Indian veteran was disappointed to bogey his last hole after a wayward drive, saying he was chasing his initial target of seven under for the day.

“Hit it well today except for the last hole where I didn’t hit the drive well for bogey. I am still happy. Will give it a go tomorrow,” said Singh, who won the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2006 and 2008.

Lin, a five-time winner on the Asian Tour, went to hospital Wednesday night because of a bad head cold but still managed to produce an impressive start.

“I drank a lot of water but my head was hurting. On some holes, the holes were moving,” said Lin.

“I got the cold last Sunday and I have got no power now. It was very bad last night and I had to get some medicine. I just took it easyand it was lucky that I played the Tanjong as it is a shorter course and I had a lot of nine iron or wedges into the greens.

“This is a big tournament and I didn’t want to pull out. My sponsors are also here this week and they encouraged me to give it a go. I have only managed a top-30 here previously, so if I make the cut this week, I will be happy,” said Lin, who carded six birdies against a lone bogey.

Scores after round one (a- denotes amateur):
62 - Edoardo Molinari (ITA), James Morrison (ENG).
63 - Y.E. Yang (KOR).
64 - Daisuke Maruyama(JPN).
65 - Jbe Kruger (RSA), Lee Sung (KOR), Atthaphon Prathumanee (THA), Rahil Gangjee (IND).
66 - Oliver Fisher (ENG), Lin Wen-tang (TPE), Jeev Milkha Singh(IND), Thongchai Jaidee (THA), Gonzalo fdez-Castano (ESP), Tom Lewis (ENG), Lam Zhiqun (am, SIN), Lam Chih Bing (SIN), Christian Nilsson (SWE), Juvic Pagunsan (PHI), Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN), Peter Karmis (RSA), Miles Tunnicliff (ENG), Zaw Moe (MYN).