Singapore Open: Sergio Garcia shares lead, Gaganjeet Bhullar best Indian at 4-under

Gaganjeet Bhullar (Photo: AFP)


Gaganjeet Bhullar was the best- placed Indian at 4-under while Sergio Garcia was in joint lead when inclement weather stopped play on the opening day of the USD 1 million SMBC Singapore Open here.

At that stage, Bhullar was four-under and tied fifth as four players, including 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia were at five-under.

Garcia and American Kurt Kitayama had finished their rounds at 66, while Tirawat Kaewsiribandit of Thailand and Louis Oosthuizen were at four-under through 16 holes.

78 players were yet to complete round one, and will resume play on Sunday.

Among the Indians who had finished Jyoti Randhawa was the best at three-under 68 and he was tied 7th, while Shiv Kapur and Khalin Joshi were even par through 16 holes.

Rahil Gangjee and S Chikkrangappa finished at one-over 72 in tied 74th place. Chiragh Kumar (73), SSP Chawrasia and Udayan Mande (74) were further behind.

Arjun Atwal was three-over through 15, Rashid Khan and Ajeetesh Sandhu had finished at 75 while Jeev Milkha Singh struggled to a round of 81.

Garcia took a while to warm up at the Asian Tour season- opener. The reigning Masters Tournament champion, who teed off at the 10th hole, started with a streak of pars that was ended by a bogey on the 15th.

However, a birdie-eagle finish on his opening nine helped him find his rhythm and he went on to sink another three birdies before ending his round.

Casey O’Toole of the United States, Koumei Oda of Japan and ex Singapore Open champion Jyoti Randhawa carded matching 68s.

O’Toole scored the first ace of 2018 at the par-3 second hole of Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong course.