Bad bounce jolts Singh's hopes for Merit win
It has not taken long for Jeev Singh to discover the fickle nature of top-level golf.
The 25-year-old Indian teed-off in the Andersen Consulting Hong Kong Open yesterday still on a high after becoming the first player from his country to qualify for the PGA European Tour.
Singh considered that, with good showings at Fanling and at Clearwater Bay in next week's US$500,000 Omega PGA Championship, he had a realistic chance of overhauling Mike Cunning and winning the Omega Tour's 1997 Order of Merit.
But while American Cunning was returning a typically efficient even-par 71 yesterday, Singh came tumbling back to earth with a 76.
'I won't feel safe unless I'm US$80,751 ahead going into next week,' said Cunning, aware that first prize in the Omega PGA Championship is US$80,750.
With Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng, second in the standings, US$40,000 behind Cunning and surprisingly deciding to forego the Hong Kong Open, attention focused on Singh.
He set out this week in third spot, US$50,804 adrift of the American. But any hopes Singh had of narrowing the gap were shattered at his very first hole of the 1997 Hong Kong Open.
Teeing-off at the 466-yard, par-four 11th, Singh ran up a seven after an unfortunate break that may not be remembered as the shot that cost him the crown, but certainly appears to make Cunning's task considerably easier than it might have been.
With 209 yards to the flag, Singh pulled out a four-iron for his second shot. He struck it sweetly, with his ball pitching on the green. 'It must have taken a hard bounce because it went through the back,' said Singh, who thought his ball would come to rest on the bank, from where he was confident he could get up-and-down to save par.
But he was shocked to find his ball had careered past the out-of-bounds markers, some 10 yards behind the putting surface.
He had to trudge back down the fairway to play his fourth shot, this time opting to use a five-iron. He missed the green and took three more to get down.
'It was not the start I was looking for,' reflected Singh, who was never able to find his rhythm after that setback.
However, he is not prepared to throw in the Order of Merit towel quite yet. 'I'm going to keep trying.' he said. 'I need a good second round here to be certain of making the cut and if I do that then I can fire for low scores over the weekend.
'I won't give up and I'll be giving it everything to win next week.' Cunning's other close pursuers also failed to make up significant ground yesterday. Americans Gerry Norquist, Clay Devers and Ted Purdy shot 70, 71 and 72 respectively, while South African Des Terblanche came in with a 70.
