Shiv Prakash nudges into TNGF Open lead

Shiv Prakash beat the opposition into submission by his sheer consistency to assume the lead on the penultimate day of the Rs 750,000 Tamil Nadu Golf Federation Open 2000.

At the par-72, Cosmopolitan Golf Club course, on Thursday, the Order of Merit leader, shot a one-under 71 to aggregate six-under 210, one stroke ahead of veteran Rohtas Singh.

Rohtas carded a two-under 70 for a five-under 211 aggregate after 54 holes, one stroke better than overnight leader Rafiq Ali, who was tied for the third place along with Vishal Singh of Jaipur and Calcutta veteran Basad Ali at four-under 212. Basad shot a four-under 68, while another veteran, 45-year-old Balbir Singh Verma submitted the best card of the day, a five-under 67, to leapfrog up to tied sixth place at two-under 214.

Despite a four-under round on Wednesday, Shiv Prakash was forced to the second place by Rafiq Ali. But the Kanpur pro remained unperturbed and submitted his third successive sub-par card to take the lead. He began with a par but made a birdie on the very second hole of the day. On the 11th hole, he sank a 20-footer to go two-under for the day and just when it looked like he will finish with a bogey-free card, he made one on the 17th from the greenside bunker.

"I was thinking of a three-four-under card. The pressure is still on me as there are many good players who are within striking distance of a couple of strokes," he said after the round.

Rohtas looked in great form as he began with birdies on the first two holes. On the first, he had a 12-footer eagle chance but missed it. He made his first bogey of the day on the eighth hole, but made the turn at two-under after making a birdie on the ninth. On the back nine, Rohtas made a bogey for the third successive day on the 14th hole before making a birdie on the 16th.

"I planned to shoot an under-par round today and stay in contention, which I have managed to do. Tomorrow, I plan to play attacking golf and go for a win," said the Sumi Motherson-sponsored golfer when asked about his plans for the final day.

Few Golfers would have missed more putts in a round than Rafiq Ali did on Thursday. The overnight leader was inconsolable after his round of two-over 74.

"I missed putts within five feet on no less than 11 occasions. I am shocked with the way I putted," said the Calcuttan.

Rafiq failed to card a single birdie on Thursday. "In a way, I am happy, because things can't get worse than this," said the winner of this season's Ford MGC Open. "Tomorrow, Shiv will contend with a different golfer because I plan to putt all night if need be to get my feel back," he added.

Like Rohtas, Basad also began with successive birdies. The Calcuttan then made his only bogey of the day on the sixth hole. The 43-year-old then studded his card with a hat-trick of birdies from the the 11th hole onwards to finish at four-under 68.

"My score could have been much better had my chipping been up to the mark," he said after the round.

Vishal Singh started with a bogey, but became even after a birdie on the second. Four more birdies and a bogey made up for his day's round of three-under 69.

Balbir Singh's five-under 67 included birdies on the fifth, ninth, 13th, 15th and 17th, an eagle on the second and bogies on the 10th and 18th. "This is the best round of my life and I am thrilled," said the Delhi-based golfer.

Gurunath cards four-under 68: B Gurunath (four-over 220) opened a 13-stroke lead in the amateur section over Arun Murugappan after shooting a sizzling round of four-under 68.

SCORES (after 54 holes): 210 _ Shiv Prakash (71,68,71); 211 _ Rohtas Singh (68,73,70); 212 _ Basad Ali(72,72,68), Vishal Singh (71,72,69), Rafiq Ali (72,68,74); 214 _ Balbir Singh Verma (74,73,67), Ranjit Singh (75,71,68), Sanjay Kumar (74,69,71); 215 _ Harmeet Kahlon (71,71,73); 216 _ SSP Chowrasia (69,74,73); 217 _ Dinesh Raghuvanshi (72,73,72), Prakash Kubde (72,73,72), Mukesh Kumar (72,72,73), Rajesh Rawat (72,71,74); 218 _ Vijay Kumar (75,71,72), Feroz Ali (74,71,73); Amateurs: 220 _ B Gurunath (79,73,68); 233 _ Arun Murugappan (85,74,74); 235 _ CV Yudhvir (77,77,81)