Jeev surges ahead

NEW DELHI, NOV 7: While Jeev Milkha Singh seeks golf's winning ways, young Jyoti Randhawa, who may well have been sharing the lead with him,...

NEW DELHI, NOV 7: While Jeev Milkha Singh seeks golf8217;s winning ways, young Jyoti Randhawa, who may well have been sharing the lead with him, and Gaurav Ghei learnt about the game8217;s cruel ways, as the US 200,000 Hero Honda Masters gathered itself for the final drama on Sunday.

Jeev Milkha Singh, without a win in last 26 months, shot his third successive sub-par round 8212; a 69 to go with 67 and 71 on first two days 8212; was nine-under and ahead by a stroke from American Gerry Norquist.

Norquist, 70, shares the second spot with old friend and colleague, Mike Cunning.

The rain, the rules and Jeev were the topics of conversation at the Delhi Golf Club. When Jeev arrived for the tee off, the skies had darkened and then it started pouring resulting in a hour-long delay.

Jeev, who expressed happiness at his play 8212; just three bogeys in three days 8212; carded a fine 69, which had one birdie on the first hole and then two more on the 11th and 12th. On the 16th he dropped a stroke by hitting a flyer over thegreen.

Jeev also had to keep his focus as his playing partners8217; Gaurav Ghei and Sanjay Kumar, who just fell apart. Sanjay shot a 77 after a terrible 41 on the front nine with two double bogeys on the sixth and the ninth. Ghei, after a 37 on the first nine, seemed to have collected himself and then came the nightmarish 16th hole for a quadruple bogey. He dropped another stroke on the 17th with a simple miss for a par putt. Five strokes gone in two holes.

On the third, after he had birdied the second to go nine under and lead with Cunning, Jyoti Randhawa had his first shot lying on soft ground. When he put his foot near the ball, water came up and he took that as a casual hazard8217; and took a free drop. Norquist called the referee to check if it was indeed a situation where Jyoti was justified in taking a free drop. The referee ruled it was not and Jyoti was docked two strokes.

Story continues below this ad

Leading scores after 54 holes: 207: Jeev Milkha Singh; 208: M Cunning US, G Norquist US; 209: J Randhawa; 210: CarlosEspinosa Mex, Scott Taylor US; 211: Rafael Ponce Ecu, Arjun Atwal; 212: Justin Cooper Aus, Vivek Bhandari, Mardan Mamat Sin, Daniel Chopra Swe; 213: Adrian Percey Aus: 214: Amritinder Singh, Basad Ali, Grant Dodd Aus; 215: Andrew Pitss, Clay Devers US, Wayne Bradley RSA, Craig Kamps RSA, Scott Rowe HK.