Mukesh set to clash with Rohtas at SRF Matchplay

New Delhi, Apr 10 (UNI) Top seed Mukesh Kumar will take on veteran Rohtas Singh in the opening tie of the Rs 10 lakh SRF All India Matchplay Championship which tees off at the par-72 Delhi Golf Club here tomorrow.

The tournament featuring 64 of the best golfers in the country will conclude in a 36-hole final on Saturday. The winner will receive a cheque of Rs 2,57,200, while the runners-up will pocket Rs 1,25,000.

Mukesh, who has three title-wins this season with an earnings tally of Rs 13,01,100, will start as favourite.

Meanwhile, defending champion Sanjay Kumar (Lucknow) will play leading amateur-turned pro Vikrant Chopra (Delhi).

Among the other interesting contests will be that of between Asian PGA Tour regular, 11th seed Arjun Singh and 54th seed Sandy Lehal (Chandigarh). Former champion Shiv Prakash will lock horns with Indrajit Bhalotia (Kolkata).

Thirtyfirst seed Amit Dube (Noida), who lost to Shiv Prakash in the inaugural edition is set to clash with 34th seed Jumman (Lucknow) who lost out to Digvijay Singh in the final in 2004.

Among the other top seeds, 2003 SRF Matchplay champion Vijay Kumar (Lucknow) is seeded second and has a relatively easy outing against 63rd seed Sunil Kumar (Aamby Valley) while third seed Ashok Kumar (DLF Golf&Country Club) will have to sweat a bit to overcome 62nd seed Jaideep Patwardhan (Pune).

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