Ashok justifies billing, shares top spot

Shah had the only eagle of the day on the 14th, where his second shot with five iron saw him land on the green and then the lob wedge shot saw the ball disappear into the hole for an eagle three.

Ashok Kumar had a bogey on the second. But he quickly got into his stride, birdied the next and the seventh to go out one under, the only sub-par score for the front nine. Ashok dropped a stroke on the 10th and a two-putt from four feet meant another bogey on the 13th. He managed to to get back one with a birdie on the 14th.

The tee shot on the 17th which flew to nearly 350 yards suggested another birdie was on the cards. But the pitching wedge shot hit the trees and then the sandwedge saw him go over the green and into the fence. He took a penalty drop, played a fine chip and holed out from six feet for the bogey. On the last hole his birdie putt from 12 feet came within two inches.

“The driving was good, but the putting could have been better,” said Ashok. “But I am feeling good and tomorrow I will be more used to the course.”

The short and soft spoken, Rahil Gangjee, Ashok’s teammate at Gas Authority of India, played steady golf. He chipped and putted well under pressure. Bogeys on the fourth, sixth and ninth wiped out his birdie effort on the seventh, but on the back nine he was focussed. He dropped a stroke on the 13th, but then quickly made with birdies on the 14th and 17th to come back in 35 — the only on the back nine — and finish the day one over. “Two steady cards and we have the title,” declared Gangjee confidently.

Simarjeet seemed to be sailing along fine with a one over 37 on the front nine, but then struck a horrible patch. Four successive bogeys from 10th to 13th were followed by two more on the 15th and 17th for a 42. The different paced greens, which were also somewhat slow and hard obviously began playing on Simarjeet’s mind and on the back nine his putting went to pieces.

Rohana, who may well be Ashok and Gangjee’s main rival on Friday said he was affected by windy conditions. “Also, my putting let me down,” commented the Lankan, who added, “Despite two days of practise on this course, I have just not been able to understand the 18th, where I have bogeys even during practise.”

Scores: Individual: India: Ashok Kumar (73), Rahil Gangjee (73), Simarjeet Singh (78). Sri Lanka: Anura Rohana (74), Tissa Chandradasa (75), Lalitha Kumara (75). Bangladesh: Shawkat Uz-Zaman (79), Siddiqur Rhaman (79), Sadiq Quddus (85). Nepal: KC Dhruba (82), Deep B Basnet (83), Chuda B Bhandari (83). Pakistan: Ahmed Ali Shah (77), Zeeshan Ali (80), Shahid Javed Khan (83). Bhutan: Karma Rangdol (81), Tashi Tshering (83), Maj. Wangchuk (89).

Team: (Two best from each team) 1. India 146; 2. Sri Lanka 149; 3. Pakistan 157; 4. Bangladesh 158; 5. Bhutan 164; 6. Nepal 165.