Thaindian News

Castellon (Spain), Oct 24 (IANS) Jeev Milkha Singh, returning to action after a week’s rest on account of a neck and shoulder injury, shot an even par 71 in the first round of the Castello Masters at Club de Campo del Mediterráneo. Jeev, placed 51st after first round, opened with a triple bogey, but then steadied himself. He birdied the fourth and ninth to turn in one-over. On the back nine, he picked up shots on the 11th and 13th, but dropped a bogey on 14th and this even par 71 and then parred the rest for his even par 71.

Of the other Indians, Shiv Kapur was tied 68th with one-over 72 and Jyoti Randhawa was tied 82nd at 73.

Soren Kjeldsen shot a seven under par 64 to lead by one shot after the first day. Kjeldsen missed getting a place on the European Ryder Cup Team as he lost his form badly.

Kapur, right on the bubble at 116th on the Order of Merit and needing to stay inside 118 to keep his card for 2009, had a tough start with bogeys on first and third. He recovered with birdies on the sixth and seventh to turn in even. On the back nine, he bogeyed the 10th, birdied the 14th and then dropped back-to-back bogeys on 16th and 17th and closed with a birdie on 18th for his 72.

Randhawa had three bogeys and one birdie on front nine and parred the rest on back nine for his 73, which placed him 82nd. Randhawa needs a decent finish to move into top-60 to play the Volvo Masters of Europe, where only top-60 of the Money List are eligible.

One shot behind Kjeldsen on six-under were Englishman Richard Finch, Spaniard Ignacio Garrido, Argentinean Angel Cabrera and Swede Peter Hanson, while seven players including Spanish pair Sergio Garcia and José Maria Olazábal were five under after rounds of 66.

Tournament favourite Garcia, who is hosting the event at the club he played as a boy and where his father is still the professional, closed his round with three successive birdies.