Jeev all set to miss the cut; Chopra marginally better

Irving, Texas, Apr 27 (UNI) A fortnight-long break did him more harm than good as an off-colour Jeev Milkha Singh dropped half-a-dozen bogeys as against a sole birdie to card a horrendous five-over 75 opening round for tied 137th and face the risk of missing the cut at the 6,300,000 dollar Byron Nelson Championship here.

The first Indian to play and make the cut at Augusta Masters earlier this month, Jeev was to have a disastrous day as the bogey on the opening hole suggested. As form dropped from bad to worse, he made the turn at three-over after dropping three more strokes as against a solitary birdie (par-four eighth) on the front nine.

Any hopes of a recovery on the backward journey were effectively ended with a couple of bogeys on the 12th and 13 holes as Jeev plunged to the bottom of the table, a whopping 10 strokes adrift off the leader Sean O' Hair of the US, who set the par-70 course afire with a brilliant five-under 65.

A miraculous Round Two could only see Jeev surviving for the weekend action otherwise the World No 51 is all set to miss his second successive cut after he failed to advance at Verizon Heritage Classic two weeks back.

Meanwhile, Indo-Swede Dainel Chopra was marginally better as he carded a birdie-free three-over 73 for a tied 102nd place.

UNI