Randhawa shares Panasonic Open lead

Dodt leads storm – hit Australian PGA

NEW DELHI, Dec 1, (AFP): Local favourite Jyoti Randhawa fired three closing birdies to grab a share of the clubhouse lead at the weather-affected Panasonic Open India golf tournament in New Delhi on Thursday.

Randhawa finished with a fiveunder-par 67 along with compatriot Mukesh Kumar after the opening round of the $400,000 Asian Tour event which was delayed by thick fog for four hours in the morning before

Randhawa also said he used the fog disruption to grab a couple of hours’ sleep and a massage.

“I felt fresh when I started the round,” said the eight-time Asian Tour winner.

After turning in 35, Randhawa sank two birdies against a bogey before blasting three straight birdies from 16 for a back-nine 32.

Kumar, a local veteran who has won over 120 professional titles in his career, took advantage of his knowledge of the course to ensure a fine start.

“I made a good recovery from the bushes on the sixth where I drained a 15-footer for bogey,” said Kumar, who traded seven birdies against two bogeys.

Randhawa

Australia’s Andrew Dodt carded eight birdies to be the clubhouse leader at a storm-hit Australian PGA Championship, with former winner Adam Scott three off the lead at Royal Pines on Thursday.

Two-time European Tour winner Dodt came home in 31 to be sevenunder for the tournament after a 65 and hold a two-shot lead over New Zealander Ryan Fox and American Julian Suri.

American Harold Varner III made a late charge to five-under after four consecutive birdies and then another on the 13th before having to scurry for cover as a thunderstorm deluged the course and forced play to be abandoned for the day.

Almost half the field are still to complete their first round at will return at 5:00 am Friday, with the second round teeing off at 7:00 am.

World number seven Adam Scott, who has finished first and second in his last two appearances at Royal Pines, was in a group of players three shots off the lead.

Dodt started on the 10th and turned in 34 with three birdies and a bogey but came to life on the front nine.

He birdied the first, third and fifth to join a four-way tie for the lead and then broke away with closing gains on the eighth and ninth.

Starting on the back nine, Scott reached the par-five 12th in two and then rolled in a 40-foot putt to reach two under.

He had a bogey on the 18th but rallied to card three consecutive birdies at the seventh, eighth and ninth.

Australian Jarrod Lyle had a hole-inone on the fifth hole with a seven iron from 179 yards with the ball bouncing just short of the green, taking two more hops before rolling into the hole.

The Aus$1.5 million dollar (US$1.1 million) event, which is being co-sanctioned by the European Tour for the second season, marks the start of the 2017 Race to Dubai. seasons.

Hockenheim, one of the best attended venues in seven times champion Michael Schumacher’s time, does have a contract for 2018 when the race is expected to return.

Azerbaijan’s street race in Baku made its debut this year as the European Grand Prix but organisers had wanted to avoid a repeat of the clash with Le Mans and to remove the logistical challenge of a backto-back race with Canada.

The races in Austria and Britain are moved back a week to help fill the gap left by Germany, with those grands prix now taking place on July 9 and 16 respectively.

Hungary switches to the July 30 slot that was earmarked for Germany.

Mexico’s race is again paired with the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, at the end of October rather than with Brazil which stands on its own as the penultimate round in November.

Malaysia is paired with Japan rather than neighbours Singapore, which remains in its usual slot after Italy. The draft calendar had envisaged Malaysia preceding Singapore. Calendar: March 26 — Australia (Melbourne) April 9 — China (Shanghai) April 16 — Bahrain April 30 — Russia (Sochi) May 14 — Spain (Barcelona) May 28 — Monaco June 11 — Canada (Montreal) June 25 — Azerbaijan (Baku) July 9 — Austria (Spielberg) July 16 — Britain (Silverstone) July 30 — Hungary (Budapest) Aug 27 — Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps) Sept 3 — Italy (Monza) Sept 17 — Singapore Oct 1 — Malaysia (Sepang) Oct 8 — Japan (Suzuka) Oct 22 — US (Austin)