Ganapathy tames Pune golf course

Rahul Ganapathy, the exciting new prospect in Indian professional golf, used his irons to deadly effect on the opening day of Rs 100,000 Wills Western Open, when he broke the course record at the par-71 Poona Club golf course on Wednesday with a sublime effort of five-under 66.

At the 6593-yard course, which has some of the most tricky and fast greens on the Wills Sport Indian Golf Tour, there are only two ways to build up a score -- either play radar-like shots to the green, or possess a red-hot putter. Ganapathy took the first option as he peppered the flag with his approach shots. The 66 gave him a two-stroke advantage over Mukesh Kumar, who finished the day in second place at three-under 68. Digvijay Singh of Meerut was third at 69, while defending champion Feroz Ali was fourth at one-under 70.

It was a special moment for the 21-year-old Mysore-based pro as the Wills Western Open is sponsored by Wills Sport, who also happen to be Rahul's personal sponsors.

"I am delighted with the way I have started the event. I had a feeling that I would do well after my practice round yesterday. I am hitting the ball very well, perhaps the best after turning pro," said Rahul who is currently leading the race for Mahindra Rookie of the Year award by miles over his closest rival.

Ganapathy started with a birdie when he drilled his pitching wedge second shot to five inches on the par-4 opening hole. In fact, his longest birdie putt of the day was a five footer on the fifth hole. He then missed a 10-feet eagle putt on the seventh and settled for a birdie, before making a hat-trick of them from the ninth onwards. His only bogey of the day came on the eighth hole when he missed his up-and-down from the bunker.

"I was solid throughout. I completed the round in 28 putts and found 15 greens in regulation," added Rahul whose runner-up finish in the Servo Masters at Digboi is the best result in a short career as a professional.

Mukesh, who finished runner-up in Bhatiary, began his quest for the third title of the season with a solid round. After making a bogey on the third, where his second shot from the center of the fairway found the right bunker from where he missed his up and down, the Mhow-based pro was a picture of consistency and excelled with his putter.

On the par-4 sixth, he sank an eight-foot uphill putt, the easiest birdie putt of the day, followed by two 10-feet downhill putts on the ninth and 10th with heavy breaks. But the piece de resistance of Mukesh's round was a 30-feet downhill putt on the 18th with almost four feet left-to-right break.

"I was actually preparing myself for a two-putt and a par. But I must have been lucky as I caught the exact line and the ball dropped safely in. I putted very well today throughout the day and that was the key to my score," said Mukesh, currently leading the Mahindra Rankings.

Digvijay Singh, who finished third at the Bhatiary Open, started with successive bogeys on the first and second holes and missed two birdie chances from less than two feet, but still managed a round of two-under 69. The Meerut-based pro also missed a par putt from four feet on the 17th for his third and final bogey of the day. However, the AV Thomas-employee made five birdies which helped him fetch the second best card of the day.

Defending champion Feroz Ali also had his own share of putting woes. He three-putted thrice, two of which resulted in bogeys. On the short but severe dogleg par-4 ninth, he reached the green with his tee shot but three-putted from 20 feet for a par. The back nine was much better as he registered two birdies but no bogeys.

KANITKAR LEADS AMATEURS: Aditya Kanitkar shot a one-over 72 and led the amateur field by a margin of four strokes over Jaideep Patwardhan. Sachin Nigade was third at 78.

SCORES (after 18 holes): 66 _ Rahul Ganapathy; 68 _ Mukesh Kumar; 69 _ Digvijay Singh; 70 _ Feroz Ali; 71 _ Shiv Prakash, Praduman S Guleria, Chini Ali; 72 _ Indrajit Bhalotia, Uttam Singh Mundy, Ali Sher, Rohtas Singh, Amritinder Singh, Zai Kipgen, Rafiq Ali, Balbir Singh Verma; 73 _ Harmeet Kahlon, Dinesh Kumar, Pappan, Ashok Gaikwad; 74 _ Sanjay Kumar, Binod Pandey, Mohd Islam, Prakash Kubde, Jumman; Amateurs: 72 _ Aditya Kanitkar; 76 _ Jaideep Patwardhan; 78 _ Sachin Nigade; 79 _ Tarun Gogale