Firoz in lead with day to spare

CALCUTTA, March 14: Firoz Ali cannot remember many days when he has not played a round at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club. It has been his seco...

CALCUTTA, March 14: Firoz Ali cannot remember many days when he has not played a round at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club. It has been his second home.

Make that first, for he spends more time here than at home, which is barely two kilometres away. So, when Firoz comes to the course, regardless of whether it is the Indian Open or just another round, he says it feels the same. “I know all the holes here. Even the ones that are new (re-done),” he said.

Yet, he cannot hide the pressure he feels as the leader by three strokes going into the final day of the $3,00,000 Classic Indian Open. “I want to play two under for four rounds,” he said. But he is already 12 under for three rounds.

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Firoz could have been a runaway leader, as he was 13 under with four holes to go in the third round. Then Dean Wilson made a dramatic charge and brought down the gap between from seven holes to three. In the last four, Firoz birdied one and bogeyed one, but Wilson hit a three wood to three feet for an eagle on the 15th andbirdied the last two.

Scott Rowe, a 23-year-old Hong-Kong based American, carded 67. The former Canadian junior swimming champion is at eight under 207. With Firoz and Wilson also in cracking form, it should make for an exciting finale.

The day’s best came from Rick Todd who, after teeing from the 10th, was just blazing. He became the only player to eagle both the 15th and the fourth. He was three under for his first nine holes, in the next nine, he went on a rampage after bogeying the first. Two birdies were followed by an eagle and another birdie in succession. Another one came on the eighth for back nine 31 and day’s card of 64, the tournament’s best so far.

The Indians apart from Firoz were disappointing. Arjun Singh, one under after two rounds, had a birdie and a bogey on first nine and two birdies and two bogeys on back nine. He is the second best Indian with a one under 215 for 54 holes. Arjun Atwal, who looked good after two rounds and was four under, went four over today. After parring thefirst five holes, he double bogeyed the sixth and bogeyed the eighth to be three over 39 and on the return, bogeyed the 14th and did not have a single birdie in the third round.

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Overnight leader with Firoz, Tim Straub dropped to five under 211 with a third round 74.

Leading scores (after 54 holes)
Firoz Ali (Ind — 69, 68, 67) 204; Dean Wilson (US — 71, 67, 69) 207; Scott Rowe (US — 73, 68, 67) 208; Choi Kyoung-Ju (Kor — 71, 69, 69) 209; 5-7: Rick Todd (US 74, 72, 64); Hiroshi Ueda (Jpn68, 74, 68); Nam Young-Woo (Kor69, 71, 70). 210 each: 8-10: Chung Joon (Kor 72, 72, 67); Rob Moss (US72, 69, 70) and Tim Straub (US 67, 70, 74); 211 each: 11-15: Jerry Smith (US 69, 74, 69); Edward Fryatt (Eng 71, 70, 71); Ted Gleason (US68, 70, 74; Christian Chernock (US 70, 70, 72); Philip Jonas (Can70, 70, 72) 212 each: Indians : Tied 25th: 215 Arjun Singh (71, 72, 72); Tied 30th: 216 Arjun Atwal (69, 71, 76); Tied 38th 218: Basad Ali (73, 73, 72); Tied 58th 223: Mohd Islam (73, 74, 76) and Amritinder Singh (72,71, 80).