Jeev cards 70 on day one of Omega European Masters

Thu, Sep 02 10 08:51 PM

Crans Montana (Switzerland), Sep 2 (PTI) Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh rued a cold putter as he brought home a card of one-under 70 in the opening round of the Omega European Masters here today. Singh, the Asian Tour''s number one in 2006 and 2008, failed to take advantage of perfect scoring conditions at the Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club, trading two birdies against a lone bogey on his last hole. C Muniyappa, making his debut in the co-sanctioned Asian Tour and European Tour event, enjoyed a flying start with an outward 32 but dropped three shots coming home to settle for a level par 71. "I was really disappointed with the way I played. I hit the ball really well but couldn''t hole anything. It was summed up at the last hole, making a bogey with sandwedge in the hand," said Singh. After battling with injuries in the past 18 months, a fit-again Singh has shown signs of regaining his best form but admitted it was a challenge to get all departments working in his game. "It''s tough. It''s been a tough year and half and I''m trying to get out of it. I just can''t get everything together in the game. You have to hole putts. I''m trying to get everything going in a day," said Singh. "I just need to work hard and get sharper. It''s there for the taking. There are a lot of birdies out there. You just have to go out and grind it out. "You''ve got to make a lot of up and downs. I''m going to work on my putting now," said Singh, who trails early leader Matteo Manassero of Italy by six shots. Muniyappa, the reigning Hero Honda Indian Open champion, charged to the top of the leaderboard with five birdies against two bogeys in his first nine holes but ran out of gas. "I putted badly on the back nine. I three putted the first and second holes (his 10th and 11th holes) and after that, my putting feel was gone. I couldn''t judge the pace. I hit the ball nicely, it was all down to the putting. It was disappointing," said Muniyappa. Compatriot Shiv Kapur carded a three-over 74 while Bangladesh''s Siddikur, winner of the Brunei Open, started strongly with a 70.

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