Shamim, Rashid share lead

The Delhi duo of Shamim Khan and Rashid Khan fired an identical six-under 66 to grab the joint lead after the opening round of the PGTI Players Championship at the Classic Golf Resort here on Tuesday.

Gaurav Ghei (67), another Delhi golfer, is a stroke behind the joint leaders in third place.
Shamim, who had a bogey-free round, made a terrific start with birdies on the first two holes as he landed his shots within six feet of the pin. He collected four more birdies on the back-nine. He sank a 30-footer for birdie on the 11th and drained birdie putts from 12 feet and 15 feet on the 12th and 15th holes respectively.

Rashid made an incredible eight birdies against two bogeys. His front-nine featured birdie putts from 15, 12 and 10 feet on the first, fifth and sixth holes respectively. He bogeyed the 10th but then had an amazing run of four straight birdies from the 13th to the 16th.

Rashid rolled in a 15 feet putt on the 13th and a 30-footer on the 15th. The 22-year-old finished with bogey-birdie on the last two holes.

Smriti hits the front

Continuing from where she left, Smriti Mehra carded a two-under 68 in the first round of the third leg of Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour 2013 to grab sole lead at the Bombay Presidency Golf Club in Mumbai.

Smriti holds a three-shot lead over Sharmila Nicollet.