Jeev Milkha Singh [Images] scored a three-under 68 to be tied 20th after the first round of the JCB Sendai Classic at Omote Zao Kakusai Golf Club in Miyagi.

Despite extremly cold conditions and areas covered with snow, the golfers came up with good scores with the two co-leaders -- Korean S K Ho and Ryuchi Oda of Japan [Images], finishing the day with eight-under 63 on the par-71 course.

Two other Japanese, K Takami and J Murakami were tied at seven-under.

Starting on the first, Jeev had a birdie on the third, but bogeys on the sixth and seventh had him struggling. But the Chandigarh pro fought back with two successive birdies on eighth and ninth to turn in one-under.

On the back nine, he birdied the 13th and 14th to be three-under. But a bogey on 16th set him back, before he closed with a birdie on the 18th to make it three-under 68.

Jeev has made three cuts, including two top-10s, and missed two cuts in his five previous appearances on this year's Japan Tour.

Ho, currently third in the Japanese Order of Merit, won the Japan PGA Championships besides finishing in top-10 at the Tsuruya Open and the Mitsubishi Diamond Cup.