Jeev Milkha Singh wanted the wind to blow hard and add to the Avantha Masters excitement at Jaypee Greens. It seems the weather gods up there were quick enough to comply as the opening day of the biggest golf tournament in the country saw some big names failing to read the wind and the lesser-known ones staking the claims.
A 24-year-old Chinnarat Phadungsil from Thailand made everyone take notice when he suddenly started hitting one birdie after another on his back nine holes, collecting eight out of possible nine. His bogey-free round, laden with 11 birdies saw him top the Day 1 chart with an 11-under 61.
India’s Abhijit Singh led the home charge on Thursday with a tied second spot. The 21-year-old Chandigarh pro was sharing the spot with Thailand’s Chawalit Plaphol and Chapchai Nirat, Magnus Carlsson of Sweden and China’s Wen-chong liang, all having returned a six-under card.
After becoming the youngest ever champion at 17 years and five days by winning the 2005 Double A International Open in Bangkok, Chinnarat seemed to have got lost in the huge golfing world before he could be noticed once again in 2009. He won the Queen’s Cup in Thailand to be among ‘the ones to watch out for in future’ in Asia.
But with just three Asian Tour wins to his credit, Chinnarat had been struggling with his form ever since that 2009 triumph. And, it was only this Thursday that he felt to have got his mojo back.
And, he was undoubtedly a happy man for that. “This was my best round ever,” the Thai said with a wide grin after his round finished early in the evening. His earlier best had come at 2007 Midea China Classic, where he carded a nine-under round in his runner-up effort behind countrymate Thaworn Wiratchant.
“All the things fell in place today. My putter was hot and I holed birdies easily. There was wind when I started my round in the afternoon but it stopped midway and that helped on the back nine,” he added.
“I had been trying to change and perfect my swing these last two years. But that didn’t work out. So I went back to my old swing and it worked,” said Chinnarat, hoping his good show continued in the coming days too.
Meanwhile, Rashid Khan, who finished runner-up to Anirban lahiri in the SAIl-SBI Open at the Delhi Golf Club last week, was the second best-placed Indian of the day at tied seventh with a five-under score. 15 golfers were tied 15th, with 2011 winner SSP Chowrasia, Gaganjeet Bhullar, lahiri, and Ashok Kumar making the list at four-under 68. Rahil Gangjee and Jeev featured in the following tied-30 bunch at three-under.
The biggest golfing name present at the greens on Thursday — Colin Montgomerie — could not give the enthusiasts much to cheer for as the veteran Scot was languishing at the bottom of the table at tied-148th with a four-over round. Montgomerie, who would complete 50 this June, boasts of 31 victories on the European Tour so far. But on Thursday, he could not do any better than carding four bogeys as Jeev signed off hoping for the winds to keep blowing hard and add to the thrill. Some, Montgomerie probably, might not like that though.