Defending champion Ghei tied 84th, other Indians also fare poorly

Beijing, May 8 (UNI) Defending champion Gaurav Ghei started the defence of his title with a poor one over par 73 opening round while three other Indians in the fray - Rahil Gangjee, Digvijay Singh and Amandeep Johl - also gave uneven displays in the first round of the Pine Valley Beijing Open golf here today.

While Gangjee and Digvijay shot rounds of even par 72 to be tied 60th, Gaurav Ghei with 73 was tied at the 84th position. Johl was placed tied 138th after returning a score of five over 77.

Gaurav Ghei's first round was punctuated by birdies on the second and eighth and bogeys on the first, 11th and 14th.

Gangjee, a starter from the 10th sank birdies on the 13th, fourth and fifth and dropped bogeys on the 12th, 17th and sixth.

Digvijay Singh on the other hand had a far more eventful round. He had an ordinary front nine as he birdied the second, bogeyed the fourth and seventh and double bogeyed the ninth.

Digvijay then made an amazing fightback on the back nine by sinking birdies on the 10th, 11th, 13th, 16th and 18th. He also dropped bogeys on the 14th and 15th.

Thailand's Chinnarat Phadungsil and Malaysia's Iain Steel are the current leaders at seven under 65.

UNI XC HSB AB