Telegraph Open golf heading for thrilling finish

Digvijay Singh put together some brilliant iron-play in his closing holes to tie with Uttam Singh Mundy in the lead at a tally of three-under 213 after the penultimate round of the Rs One million Telegraph Open Golf Championship 2002, being played at the par-72 Royal Calcutta Golf Club.

The final day's play of the 18th leg of the 2001-02 season's Hero Honda Golf Tour is headed for a thrilling finish with Delhi's Gaurav Ghei placed just three strokes behind the leaders.

Ghei is third at level-par 216 while another Kolkatan Indrajit Bhalotia occupies the fourth spot at three-over 219.

Lucknow's Vijay Kumar put together a superb four-under 68 to tie-fifth with Delhi's Shamim Khan at 220 while three more Kolkatans, Rafiq Ali, SSP Chowrasia and Feroz Ali are tied seventh with Mhow's Mukesh Kumar at 221.

Digvijay Singh, into his third season on the professional Tour, proved yet again why he is considered one of the most talented golfers on Tour. The Meerut-based golfer who celebrated his birthday on Wednesday, seems hell bent on starting his 30th year with a win.

"I was completely focussed today," he said. "Somebody asked me whether I knew I was one stroke behind Uttam before I hit my approach shot to eight feet from the pin on the final hole. The truth is, I was not aware nor did I really care. This whole week, I have just been concentrating on my own game. I want to bisect ever fairway and sink ever putt. Everything else will take care of itself," added the first golfer on the Hero Honda Golf Tour to win a tournament in his rookie season.

The AV Thomas Group-sponsored golfer achieved the feat with a victory at the BPGC Open, Mumbai in March 2000.

Digvijay's round was not all a bed of roses. He dropped shots early in his round, one each on the 2nd and 3rd to sit at two-over on the fourth tee.

"It was indeed disturbing but I calmed myself down and got down to the task at hand," he said.

This he did pretty well, draining a 30 footer to birdie the 5th then chipping in from the bunker on the following hole, for his second successive birdie. A birdie finish to his front-nine was followed by his second bogey of the day on the 14th. On the 15th, he missed a seven feet eagle putt but a birdie on that hole and another on the 17th courtesy a superb approach shot handed him a day's score of two-under 70 and the shared lead.

Eveready-sponsored local hero Uttam Singh Mundy is one of the most respected golfer on the Tour. In these parts he is something of a demigod. Today, however, Mundy was a shadow of his usual self especially on the greens. The only golfer to twice win the prestigious Honda Siel PGA Golf Championship (1996 & '98), Mundy hit the ball well enough but the putts just failed to sink.

"Actually even my chipping was a shade below standard," said the bearded golfer. "On the final hole, I left my 9-iron short of the green and went on to miss a simple four-feet putt. That cost me the sole lead,' said a dejected Mundy.

Like Digvijay, Mundy too erred early on in his round in the form of a dropped shot on the 2nd.

"Golf is played between the two ears," he said and true enough it was his mental toughness that helped him recover with birdies on the 5th and 9th.

Playing most of his return journey to par, Mundy went on to birdie the 17th courtesy a superb 15-foot putt but then the fiasco on his closing hole did him in.

"Tomorrow is a new day. I know Digvijay is a good player and there is also Gaurav just three strokes behind. But I am going to go for a win. I have a lot to prove to my family and friends who are all here". Mundy played to 71 today.

Khaitan leads amateur field: Aditya Khaitan opened up a 13-stroke lead over second placed Anshuman Fogla in the amateur category. Khaitan's tally of 21-over 237 included a third-round score of 80. Fogla tallied 250 while third placed Karan Sandhu aggregated 251.

SCORES (after 54 holes): 213_Digvijay Singh(73,70,70), Uttam Singh Mundy(72,70,71); 216_Gaurav Ghei(74,69,73); 219_Indrajit Bhalotia(71,75,73); 220_Vijay Kumar(76,76,68), Shamim Khan(78,71,71); 221_Rafiq Ali(75,73,73), Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia(76,70,75), Mukesh Kumar(73,73,75), Feroz Ali(69,75,77); 222_Rahul Ganapathy(75,78,69), Shiv Prakash(71,75,76); 223_Ali Sher(77,78,68), Basad Ali(78,71,74), Jaiveer Virk(72,76,75), Monish Bindra(70,77,76).

Amateurs: 237_Aditya Khaitan(77,80,80); 250_Anshuman Fogla(85,81,84); 251_Karan Sidhu(80,87,84)

Day 2 report: Mundy cashes in on Feroz's erratic play
Day 1 report: Feroz Ali begins with a bang