Mukesh snatches the lead

Mukesh Kumar showcased some scintillating golf on Saturday with his four-under 64 handing him a three-stroke cushion over Vijay Kumar in the race for the ‘Mahindra Champion Golfer of the Year’ award and the accompanying cheque of Rs 850,000.

With one round left to play, Vijay, who currently leads both the rankings and the Order of Merit, will require to beat Mukesh at all costs if he is to prevent the latter from denying him his third Mahindra award in four years.

Mukesh currently leads the Rs 550,000 Leela Palace – BGC Open, with a three-day aggregate of six-under 198. Vijay Kumar is placed second at three-under 201 while two strokes behind Vijay at tied-third spot are the Calcutta duo of Feroz Ali and Vinod Kumar (D).

Indrajit Bhalotia another Calcuttan, and the leading contender for the ‘Mahindra Putter of the Year’ award, is placed fifth at two-over 206, while a certainty for the ‘Rookie of the Year’ award, Rahul Ganapathy played to two-over 70 to tie for the 13th spot. Bhalotia, who is hotly being pursued by Mukesh Kumar for the award, has thus far done little wrong on the putting greens and is currently favourite to beat Mukesh to the Rs 1 lakh prize cheque.

The tournament is being played on the par-68, 5,750-yard Bangalore Golf Club and is part of the 125 years celebrations of the club.

Mukesh Kumar, the man who prevented Vijay from winning his third straight ‘Champion Golfer of the Year’ award last season, is hell bent on winning the award for the second straight year. Starting the day one stroke behind Vijay, Mukesh erred but once with a bogey on the 7th. Five birdies, these coming on the 5th, 10th, 14th, 15th and 17th studded his day’s card which was marred to an extent when the Mhow-based golfer three-putted a 20 feet eagle putt on his final hole.

"I putted magnificently," said Mukesh, who tallied 27 puts on Saturday. "I am already behind Vijay in the points tally and so the pressure will be on him now," added the 31-year old, who was full of praise for the course conditions.

Vijay had a very ordinary day. The stocky golfer bogeyed the 13th and 16th and saved face in the nick of time with a superb eagle on the 18th set up by a driver, 7-iron combination. "I sank a 20 feet putt for eagle on the final hole. If only I had putted like that earlier, the whole complexion would have changed. Anyway, it is but a game and anything can happen tomorrow," he added after playing to level-par 68.

"Mukesh will be a tough opponent on this course," concluded the Lucknowite.

Feroz Ali brought in the other level-par card including three birdies (4th, 7th and 17th) and as many bogeys (6th, 12th and 18th). "I am not happy with the way I played. Each time I carded a birdie I followed it up with a bogey sooner than later," said Feroz, who looked like returning an under-par score when he birdied the 17th, before he dropped his third shot of the day on the 18th.

Vinod Kumar, in the final tournament of his Rookie year, did his reputation as one of the most promising young golfers in the country no harm with a third day score of one-over 69. The 20-year old birdied the 2nd, 12th and 16th with bogeys on the 4th, 6th, 7th and 17th. An unfortunate double bogey on the 5th, after his approach shot found the crater behind the green, was nullified by a graciously accepted 17-feet eagle putt on the 13th.

"I am happy with my round. Playing with players like Vijay and Mukesh on such a classy course is a dream for any youngster and I consider myself lucky," he said.

Dewan continues to lead amateur field: Gaurav Dewan returned a three-over 71 on Saturday to put six strokes between him and second ranked David deSouza in the amateur category. Dewan's tally stood at 12-over 216 while deSouza aggregated 222. Anand Ranga Moola was placed third at 231.

SCORES (after 52 holes): 198_Mukesh Kumar (66,68,64); 201_Vijay Kumar (66,67,68); 203_Feroz Ali (68,67,68), Vinod Kumar (D) (68,66,69); 206_Indrajit Bhalotia (67,70,69); 208_Rohtas Singh (72,68,68); 209_Tarun Sardesai (69,67,73); 210_SSP Chowrasia (72,70,68), Binod Pandey (69,71,70), DS Raghuvanshi (68,68,74); 212_Rajesh Rawat (71,70,71), Sanjay Kumar (70,70,72); 214_Balbir Verma (70,75,69), Rahul Ganapathy (75,69,70), Sujay Ghorpade (72,71,71).

Amateurs: 216_Gaurav Dewan (73,72,71); 222_David deSouza (74,76,72); 231_A Ranga Moola (75,79,77)