Firoz fires four under

Defending champion Jyoti Randhawa returned three under par 69 to be at joint fifth place along with compatriots Mukesh Kumar, SSP Chowrasia and Ecuador8217;s Rafael Ponce.

However some of the leading Indian contenders including favourite and last year8217;s runners-up, Jeev Milkha Singh, had a poor opener. Jeev shot two over 74 and was lying at joint 38 place along with Rohtas Singh, Shiv Prakash, Devender Patel, Vishal Singh, Gaurav Ghei, Ali Sher and Sweden-based Daniel Chopra.

Firoz said he was not very happy with the way he played the round. 8220;I played to exploit the par-5s and could make birdie on only one of them. I just had one bogey, when I three-putted the seventh. Imissed as many as 10 greens in regulation and was saved by the fact that I completed the round in 27 putts.8221;

Feroz, determined to do well after missing the cut while defending his Wills Indian Open title earlier this year, fired birdies on the par-4 second and fourth holes. His first mistake was on the seventh when he overclubbed his second shot and went over green for his only bogey of the day. A birdie on the ninth saw him make the turn at two under. On the back nine, he added two more birdies.

Jyoti Randhawa, looked in trouble at two over after four holes. But the defending champion pulled off a stunning recovery thereafter and made five birdies. 8220;I am pretty pleased with the way I started the tournament. I will take a three-under any day. But I was not happy with the way I hit my approach shots,8221; said Jyoti who finished third in last week8217;s Nokia Singapore Open

Among the other Indians, Arjun Atwal was joint ninth along with Sammy Daniels SA and Rodrigo Cuello Philippines at two-under 70,Arjun Singh, Jumman and Ranjit Singh were tied 12th at one-under 71 along with Gerry Norquist US, Nilson Carera Paraguay and Andy Wada Japan. Anthony Kang Korea was in fine putting form as well and was five-under after 14 holes before making bogies on the 6th and 9th. The bogies sandwiched a birdie on the 8th.

Scott Taylor, struggling for the better part of this year on the Davidoff Tour, looked pleased with his round. 8220;I had as many as six birdies and two bogies and was not in much trouble throughout the round,8221; he said.

Young Ashok Kumar was the best placed amateur at tied 18th with a score of level par 72.

Main Scorers

68: Scott Taylor US, Firoz Ali Ind, Chris Williams Eng, Anthony Kang Kor. 69: Mukesh Kumar, Jyoti Randhawa, SSP Chowrasia Ind Rafael Ponce Ecu. 70: Sammy Daniels RSA, Arjun Atwal Ind Rodrigo Cuello Phi. 71: Arjun Singh Ind, Nilson Cabrera Par Gerry Norquist US, Andy Wada Japan, Jumman, Ranjit Singh.