Leading rookie of the year Sandeep Syal submitted a card of four-under 68 to share the lead along with the experienced Pappan and the lesser-known Gast Ram at the end of the half-way stage of the 850,000 Servo Masters 2003, the eighth leg of the Hero Honda Indian Golf Tour 2003-04 season at the Digboi Golf Links course in Assam on Thursday.

The trio have a total of five-under 139 for the tournament.

Vishal Singh was in sole fourth position with a total of four-under 140.  Local lad Pritam Saikia matched the day's best score of four-under 68 to share the fifth position along with two others Sanjay Kumar and SSP Chowrasia, who had a two-day total of three-under 141.

Sandeep Syal, who finished a creditable tied-43rd at the Hero Honda Masters last week, played some flawless golf except for a solitary hole today. Beginning from the tenth, the longest par-3, the lad from Chennai made a bogey after hitting his tee shot on the left of the green and failed to make up and down.

Leaving behind his disappointment, Sandeep marched his way, collecting five birdies, with the first one coming on the very next hole. His iron-play was the highlight of his round. After consecutive birdies on
the 14th and 15th, he missed an eagle chance on the par-5 seventh and made a birdie and signed off with
another lucky one on his finishing hole.

After getting off the tee with a 3-wood on the par-5 dog-leg ninth, his second shot hit a tree and bounced back onto the fairway.  He then chipped to five feet for a birdie.

"Despite that bogey-start, I was focused for the rest of my round which fetched me a good score. I am happy with my," said Sandeep, who hit 15 greens in regulation.

Pappan meanwhile made three birdies and an eagle in his round of 69. The eagle came on the par-5 ninth where the Delhi pro was on the edge of the green with his driver and a 3-wood shot he was on the edge. He chipped-in to sign off with a smile.

His birdies came on the 13th, 16th and the seventh. "It was a good round overall. I did miss some small birdie putts but that's how golf is played," said the cheerful pro from Delhi Golf Club, who hit bogeys on the 17th and eighth.

Pappan's club-mate Gast Ram made five birdies while missing eagles on a couple of them. Driving the green on the par-4 third, he two-putted from 15 feet and two putted from 6 feet on the ninth. In between he had successive birdies on the sixth and seventh and signed off with another one on the finishing hole.

Earlier, the Baba Glass-sponsored pro made a bogey on the second and ended up with a double bogey on the 10th.

Girish leads: Girish Virk, who is sponsored by the tournament sponsors Indian Oil Company Limited, scored identical rounds of 74 on each of the two days to lead amongst the amateurs.

Top scores after 36 holes (Pros): 139_Sandeep Syal (71,68), Pappan (70,69), Gast ram (69,70); 140_Vishal Singh (71,69); 141_Pritam Saikia (73,68), Sanjay Kumar (71,70), S Chowrasia (69,72); 142_Ashok Kumar (72,70), 143_Amit Dube (73,70), Suleman Ali (71,72), Zai Kipgen (70,73), Asgar Ali (66, 77), 144_Rafiq Ali (72,72).

Amateurs: 148_Girish Virk (74,74); 154_Anitya Chand (73,81).