Macau, Sep 15: Jeev Milkha Singh got off to a good start with a three-under 68 to be placed tied eighth after the opening round of the USD 750,000 Macau Open golf here today (Sep 15).

Jeev enjoyed a bogey-free 68 that put him in tied eighth, two shots behind the four leaders and in the middle of a traffic jam that has top 18 players within two shots of each other and another 12 players were one shot further down at two-under.

Jeev was two behind the leaders -- American Anthony Kang, Swede Rikard Karlberg, Yih-shin Chan of Chinese Taipei and Englishman Nick Redfern -- all of whom had 66 each for a five-under par card.

Three players -- Wang Ter-chang, Brad Smith and Adam Groom -- were at four-under. Jeev was the best among 13 Indians who entered the field here at the Macau Golf and Country Club. His 68 with three birdies and no bogeys placed sixth for the first round.

Only three Indians came under par on a course that gave a lot of birdie opportunities. Shiv Kapur struggled on the greens but still emerged with a two-under 69 in tied 19th, while Himmat Rai still relishing his last week's win, shot 70 for tied 31st.

Gaganjeet Bhullar and SSP Chowrasia were tied 59th at 72 each and Manav Jaini had a 73 in tied 77th, while Sujjan Singh and Mandeo Pathania carded 74 each to be tied 85th and in danger of missing the cut.

Anirban Lahiri recovered well from a 10 on par-five fifth, where he had one unplayable and went out of bounds once. Then with two bogeys in last three holes, he ended with a 75, the same as Chiragh Kumar, who had two bogeys and one birdie in last three holes, but on front stretch.

Jyoti Randhawa and Vinod Kumar shot 77 each and Digvijay Singh withdrew from the event because of a family emergency. Kunal Bhasin, who plays on Indian Tour also shot 72.

PTI