Harendra takes lead in Haryana Open golf

PANCHKULA - Harendra Gupta of Chandigarh fired a five-under 67 at the Panchkula Golf Club Thursday to take the first round lead at the Aircel-PGTIs Haryana Open 2009.

Anirban Lahiri, Ranjit Singh Rathore, A.S. Lehal, Sheeraz Kalra and Vijay Kumar are two strokes behind Gupta in tied-second place.

Gupta had an ideal start as he birdied the first, third, sixth, seventh and ninth to turn in five-under. Gupta made a tricky downhill putt from 12 feet to secure his best birdie of the day on the ninth. He then made birdies on the 11th and 15th and bogeys on the 13th and 16th to close with a brilliant 67.

Lahiri birdied the opening 10th, where he landed his second shot a few inches from the pin. He sank another birdie on the 13th before making a three-putt from four feet to drop a bogey on the 15th. A bogey on the first brought him back to level par. The Bangalore-based Lahiri then fired three birdies (fifth, seventh, eighth) over the last five holes to turn in a solid 69.

Mukesh Kumar, Harmeet Kahlon, Mandeo Singh Pathania, Amardip Sinh Malik, Amritinder Singh, Sanjay Kumar and Manav Jaini are tied seventh at two under 70.