Golf: Ranjit Singh Rathore leads at Digboi

Digboi (Assam), Nov 10 (IBNS) Ranjit Singh Rathore of Kolkata leads the field after round one of the IndianOil XtraPremium Masters 2010. Rathore fired a four under 68 at the Digboi Golf Links on Wednesday.

Feroz Ali Mollah, Shankar Das, Chiragh Kumar, Raju Ali Mollah, Harendra Gupta and Abhishek Jha are tied second at two under 70.

Ranjit Singh Rathore got off to a solid start as he birdied the first. The 25-year-old then collected birdies on the third and seventh and bogeyed the fifth to make the turn at two under. The bogeys on the 10th and 12th did not derail Rathore?s round as he also produced birdies on the 11th, 14th, 15th and 16th thanks to his accurate hitting.

?The course is in very good shape and the key at this venue is to be patient. Lot of opportunities will come your way but you have to let them come to you and cannot afford to go after any hole. I started in great fashion today as I hit a fantastic drive and followed that up with an equally impressive nine-iron shot to earn a birdie on the first. I had the momentum going for me from there on,? said Rathore.

He added, ?I had a terrific run of three successive birdies on the 14th, 15th and 16th. I found the front edge of the green with my drive on the par four 14th. I hit it within four feet on the 15th and 16th. I hit it quite close through the day. In fact, all birdie putts on the back nine were within four feet. The longest birdie putt of the day was the 10 footer on the first.?

Feroz Ali Mollah, Shankar Das, Chiragh Kumar, Raju Ali Mollah, Harendra Gupta and Abhishek Jha are tied second at two under 70.

Balwinder Singh Mattu, Md. Nawab and Md. Zamal Hossain Mollah ended the day in tied eighth position with matching scores of one under 71.