Babu Ahmed leads Surya Nepal Masters

Babu Ahmed of Bangladesh was the surprise leader at the end of the opening round of the Rs 750,000 Surya Nepal Masters, which began at the par-72 Gokarna Forest Golf Resort, on Wednesday.

Ahmed shot a five-under 67 and was leader by two strokes over 1997 champion Uttam Singh Mundy and last season's Player of the Year on the Wills Sport Golf Tour Mukesh Kumar, who were tied for second place at three-under 69.

Local pro Deepak Acharya and Sanjay Kumar of Lucknow were tied for fourth place at two-under 70.

The Surya Nepal Masters, which forms the 11th leg of the Wills Sport Indian Golf Tour, is sponsored by Surya Tobacco Company.

Babu Ahmed, who made it to the Indian Tour after finishing 12th in this season's Q-School tournament, was even par after 11 holes with two birdies and two bogies and a five-under card looked impossible. But the 31-year-old pro from Kurmitola Golf Club caught fire on his remaining seven holes. He made an eagle on the third hole (his 12th) after hitting a 6-iron second shot to one feet. He then sank six-footer putts on the fourth, seventh and ninth to finish at five-under 67.

"My putting was totally off on the front nine. I was hitting the ball very well and if only I could have putted half as well, I would have finished at least eight-under. Anyway, I am very happy with my round and hope that I can play steady golf over the next three days and win the first title of my career," said the amiable Ahmed.

Mukesh was in excellent form as he started the day from the 10th hole and promptly made a birdie when he sank a 10-footer. Birdies on the 12th and 17th were negated by bogies at the 13th (three-putt from 15 feet) and 15th (from the bunker). He was on song on the back nine with birdies on the first, third, fifth and seventh and was five-under with two holes to go. But on the par-3 eighth, he duffed his 5-iron tee shot and then hit his sandwedge in to the bunker. He came out to within six feet off the cup and two-putted for a double bogey.

"I am very disappointed with the double bogey on the eight. I was playing so well despite having a bad day with my putter. If only I could have made a par, I would have probably sealed the title on the first day itself," said Mukesh, Player of the Year last season.

Mundy, the twice winner of the Honda Siel-Nike PGA Championship, the biggest tournament on the Indian Tour, submitted a three-under 69 card despite three three-putts. He was five-under after 15 holes, but found the water for a bogey on the par-5 seventh hole (his 16th after starting from the 10th tee) and then three-putted for a bogey on the eighth.

"Considering that I had three three-putts, I am pretty happy with my score. But the way I finished, is no way to finish a round," said the popular pro from Calcutta.

Among the Nepali pros, club pro Deepak Acharya exploited his familiarity with the course with a brilliant round of two-under 70. The 24-year-old Acharya could have been three-under but missed a simple four-footer birdie putt on his final hole.

Beginning from the 10th tee, Acharya made a birdie on the 12th but bogies on the 14th and 15th made him one-over at that stage. A birdie on the 18th where he hit the sandwedge to four feet, saw him make the turn at even-par.

On the back nine, Acharya made a bogey on the fourth hole after leaving his second shot short of the green from a mere 50 yards. But he essayed a brilliant finish with birdies on the fifth, sixth and eight holes.

"Considering that I have been playing the first round badly (in Surya Nepal Western and Eastern Open in last two weeks), I would say I am pretty much satisfied with the round," he said.

SCORES (after 18 holes): 67 _ Babu Ahmed; 69 _ Mukesh Kumar; 70 _ Sanjay Kumar, Deepak Acharya; 71 _ Rahul Ganapathy, Shamim Khan, Pappan, Zai Kipgen, Radhey Shyam Thapa; 72 _ Vijay Kumar, Shiv Prakash, Toran Shahi; 73 _ Ali Sher, Mohd Maqbool

Amateurs: 74 _ Raj Pradhan; 79 _ Mani Rai; 80 _ Bijesh Shahi, CB Bhandari, Deep Basnet, Tashi Ghale.