Shiv Kapur says he played better that the score reflects

Hoylake, July 21 (UNI) A level-par opening round may not sound that exciting but Shiv Kapur says he played better than his card reflects in his maiden major appearance in the British Open here.

The Asian Tour prospect pulled off a courageous birdie at his last hole at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, producing a delightful chip from the rough that landed six feet from the pin which he converted.

The Indian felt he could have produced red figures in what was his first major.

''If you'd given me par at the start of the day, I would have taken that but I thought I played better than my score,'' said Kapur.

''On the back nine, I hit it really well but I missed about three realistic opportunities which I should have made. It was tough getting the ball close and overall, I just hung in there.'' Kapur, who had a meteoric rise to fame in Asia after winning the season-ending Volvo Masters of Asia in Bangkok last December, settled the butterflies in the stomach with a 10-foot par save on his first hole.

It was the start of nine straight pars before he dropped his first shot at the par five 10th when his approach shot plugged in a bunker and he had to play it backwards. He nailed his first birdie of the day on 16, chipping to two feet before three putting the next hole for bogey.

Kapur's determination to sign off with an even par round saw him pull off a wonderful shot at the last hole, a par five, which drew loud cheers from the Hoylake galleries.

''I had a terrible lie on the 18th but I told myself not to play conservative and hit my third shot close. It was the kind of shot where you would hit it close or skull it over the green. I took my chances and got it close,'' he said.

His appearance on the world stage was also everything that he had expected.

''It was pretty cool standing on the first tee this morning. The crowds were shouting out my name and I had to obligingly nod a few times at them. But I had to get on with my golf eventually. It's tough with the noise going round on the course, which I need to get used to,'' he observed.

And the Indian is aware that he must produce an under-par score in the second round today to stick around for the weekend.

''I have to restart the tournament as I'm still in the same position. I have to go out and shoot a good round,'' he added.

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