Atwal makes strong start, tied 15th after Rd 1 of Las Vegas Open

Los Angeles, Oct 13 (UNI) While Arjun Atwal made a strong start at the tied 15th spot with a scintillating five-under 67, Indian-born Swede Daniel Chopra found himself at the tied 67th position after an eventful two-under 69 in the opening round of the four million dollar Las Vegas Open being played at different courses here.

Atwal, playing at the par-72 TPC Summerlin course, sank in seven birdies against two bogeys to be among the top-20.

Meanwhile, Chopra, at the TPC Canyons, overcame a late slump in form and fired six birdies in all. The Swede stumbled upon two bogeys and a double bogey in his opening round.

The Orlando-based Atwal, who has been struggling for form this season, looked in good touch as he opened with birdies on third and fifth. He gained two more shots on the seventh and ninth but a bogey in between saw Atwal making the turn at three-under.

His backward journey also started smoothly but did not end the way the Indian would have liked. Atwal gained three shots between the 11th and 14th hole but a bogey on the 17th denied him a chance to finish among the top-10.

Meanwhile, Chopra, playing his back nine first, got off the blocks with a birdie on the 11th hole, followed by another on the 16th. A disappointing 18th hole bogey, however, started a mini-slide.

Coming back to play his back nine, the Swede dropped a shot on the first and slumped further with a third hole double bogey.

However, he arrested the slide and fired a hat-trick of birdies between fourth and sixth. Chopra then rounded off his comeback with another birdie on the eighth.

At the top, Americans Bob Tway (TPC Canyons) Steve Flesch (TPC Summerlin) came up with identical eight-under cards to share the lead.

UNI XC PM KN1108