Baek stays in the lead

Arjun Atwal,Jyoti Randhawa and Shiv Kapur show signs of form

The usual sight you would come across on a golf course is that of solemn,somber golfers with their best etiquette on display. And if you are lucky enough you might catch some player shrugging at a bogey or touch his cap to acknowledge a good tee shot,but perhaps no more. However,going into its fourth day now,the Indian Open has been not been just another tournament,and 20-year-old rookie Korean Baek Seuk-hyun with his 10-under 206 is no conventional leader.

Enjoying his first-ever stint as a leader,Baek is animated when he celebrates his shots at the Delhi Golf Course. He will punch his fist and raise it in the air,and whether or not he has had a good tee shot he bears a carefree gait while swinging and rotating his club between fingers.

And all this despite the fact that the young sole leader doesnt like the course. Not because he has had to keep away his driver and the course is slightly tight but because his last run here in April at the Sail Open proved to be a disaster.

Starting as the overnight leader on Saturday,Baek was already at nine-under after 11 holes with accurate tee and approach shots.

He started humming a song as he bogeyed the 12th and double bogeyed the 13th to do down six-under. It was then that Baek first looked at the leader board and said to himself: Come on,birdies,birdies,you need more birdies.

The adrenaline rush helped as he shot four birdies on the last five holes to return the unassailable 10-under figure. I guess I was nervous,my first big tournament and my Dad had already called up and said that dont get angry on the course. So in the end I tried to tell myself that I desperately need more birdies its a tough course,Im only aiming for a 13-under tomorrow, Baek said.

And Baek is not the only rookie enjoying a successful stint at the premier event. Already at the third spot in the Asian Tour order of merit in his rookie season,Swede Rikard Karlbergs nine-under 205 score line has taken him to the second position here. But unlike Baek,who missed the cut when he last played here,Karlberg has won his maiden Tour title at the DGC earlier this year.

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I can feel the good memories from the SAIL Open when I walk around the course here. And I think the only difference between me and other new starters on the tour is that I have played so much golf from nine years of age that however busy the Tour is it just doesnt seem enough golf to me. The only aim for tomorrow is not to get into the woods and try and get to second in the order of merit, Karlberg said.

Just like Baek,who maintained his lead,Indias Manav Jaini held on to his tied third spot with a six-under 20,after a brief joint lead that he enjoyed for two holes. Sharing the third position with him is 45-year-old Mukesh Kumar. I will perhaps not have another chance in my life to be in contention in such a big tournament, Kumar said.

After the two days of a forgettable outing for top rung golfers Arjun Atwal,Jyoti Randhawa and Shiv Kapur,the trio have finally hit form.While Randhawa had a bogey free round to be tied 12th,Atwal even managed an eagle on the 8th only to drop two shots on the 9th for a double bogey. After another double on the back nine thanks to the bushes on his left,Atwal managed to finish tied 12th with four-under.

Spending long hours on the putting green finally helped Shiv Kapur find some birdies but a bogey on the 14th made him lose his momentum again and he shook his head in resentment another of those typical golfer expressions. No swearing,no shouting,only a shake of the head on being left behind at tied 20th.