JOIN US Anirban Lahiri led the Indian charge with an impressive show as he posted a sparkling seven-under-par 65 to take the first round lead at the SAIL-SBI Open on Wednesday.
Canada’s Ron Harvey Jr made the most of his playing opportunity on the Asian Tour by carding a 66 to take second place while Sweden’s Rikard Karlberg came up a 67 to take third place at the Delhi Golf Club.
Australia’s Scott Hend, seeking his second Asian Tour win, returned with a 68 to take a share of fourth place alongside four Indians at the $300,000 full-field Asian Tour event.
Lahiri was clearly delighted with his opening performance as he used to admit finding it difficult to tame the greens at the DGC.
However, since lifting his maiden title at the venerable golf course last year and with the monkey off his back, the Indian believes that he can go on and contend for the title again.
“I’ve been getting more and more comfortable at the Delhi Golf Club, and when I come here I feel positive now as compared to this whole aura of negativity that I’ve always attached to earlier. I feel that I’m in better control of my game plan and I’m much assured of what to hit off the tee,” said Lahiri.
Leading scores (round I): 65: Anirban Lahiri (Ind). 66: Ron Harvey Jr (Can). 67: Rikard Karlberg (Swe). 68: Mohd Islam (Ind), Scott Hend (Aus), Mukesh Kumar (Ind), Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind), Manav Jaini (Ind). 69: Javi Colomo (Esp), Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha). 70: Roop Singh (Ind), Vinod Kumar (Ind), Zaw Moe (Myn), Shiv Kapur (Ind), Vivek Bhandari (Ind), Harmeet Kahlon (Ind), Panuwat Muenlek (Tha), Abhinav Lohan (Ind), Ranjit Singh (Ind), Wade Ormsby (Aus), Chapchai Nirat (Tha), Ben Fox (US), Quincy Quek (Sin), Randhir Ghotra (Ind), Hsu Chia (Tpe). 71: Shamim Khan (Ind), Elmer Salvador (Phi), Lindsay Renolds (Can), Gaurav Ghei (Ind), Scott Barr (Aus), Unho Park (Aus), Feroz Ali (Ind), Atthaphon Prathummanee (Tha), Thitiphun Chuayprakong (Tha), Sanju MD (Ind), Sattaya Supupramai (Tha), Sanjay Kumar (Ind), Paul Donahoo (Aus), Ajeetesh Sandhu (Ind), Mithun Perera (Lka), Daisuke Kataoka (Jpn), Berry Henson (US), Chawinroj Rungsrichai (Tha), Jaakko Makitalo (Fin).