Mukesh Kumar grabs the lead

Mukesh Kumar exploited the par-5s on the Bhatiary Golf and Country Club course as he returned a three-under 69 and took a one-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the Rs 1 million Bhatiary Open 2001, on Wednesday.

Mukesh's 69, added to his lacklustre two-over 74 on Tuesday, gave him a two-day aggregate of one-under 143. That gave him a one-stroke cushion over four players -- two Indians (Rafiq Ali and Digvijay Singh) and two Bangladeshis (Mohammed Morul Islam Ghani and Chand Mia).

Veteran Rohtas Singh was placed sixth at one-over 145. Yusuf Ali of Calcutta was a further stroke behind, while Vijay Kumar, winner of the Order of Merit on the Wills Sport Golf Tour for past three season, was eight at three-over 147.

Mukesh made a jumpstart in the morning by making birdies on the par-5 first and fourth holes. He successfully negotiated the trecherous second and fifth holes which have seen a spate of bogies on the first two days. His next birdie came on the relatively short sixth hole, followed by his fourth on the par-5 11th. But just when he looked set for a grandstand finish, he made his only bogey of the day on the 16th and finished at three-under.

"I am disappointed with the bogey on the 16th because I was playing very well and should have opened an even bigger lead today. Now I will have to be on my toes tomorrow," said Mukesh, who is currently second in the Order of Merit as well as the race for the Player of the Year award.

Chand Mia looked set for yet another sub-par round. A birdie-bogey start saw him even for the day till he made birdies on the par-5 11th and 12th holes to go two-under for the day. However, he had a nightmarish end to the round with a bogey on the 16th and a double bogey on the 17th.

"I think I got too excited," said the modest pro.

On the other hand, Rafiq Ali made a disastrous start and was four-over at the turn. But his form underwent a complete transformation as he drilled five birdies on the back nine to submit his second successive level-par 72 card.

The surprise package of the tournament so far has been the Dhaka-based pro Norul Islam. He has gone about his business with remarkable efficiency by making a second successive 72.

"This is a great opportunity for the players of Bangladesh and I would like to be up there on the final day," said Islam after the round.

The disappointments of the tournament so far have been Vijay Kumar, Shiv Prakash and Feroz Ali. Though they have had their share of birdies, they have also struggled to save pars from near the green.

"Though the greens are excellent and the speed is also very good, I am having trouble chipping from the thick crab grass with so much grass coming in between the clubface and the ball," said Vijay explaining his poor rounds.

SCORES (after 36 holes): 143 _ Mukesh Kumar (74,69); 144 _ Rafiq Ali (72,72), Mohammed Norul Islam Ghani (72,72), Chand Mia (71,73), Digvijay Singh (71,73); 145 _ Rohtas Singh (72,73); 146 _ Yusuf Ali (74,72); 147 _ Vijay Kumar (73,74); 148 _ Sanjay Kumar (74,74), Shiv Prakash (74,74); 149 _ Rahul Ganapathy (75,74); 150 _ Amit Dube (78,72); 151 _ Chini Ali (79,72), Ranjit Singh (77,74), Monish Bindra (76,75); Amateurs: 152 _ Mohammed Milon (76,76); 157 _ Mohammed Hossain (82,75)