Cheema cards sizzling 64

KATHMANDU, APR 24 -

Indian pro Angad Cheema capitalised on a perfect scoring conditions to take the first round lead in the Surya Nepal Masters with a sizzling eight-under 64 here on Wednesday.

One stroke behind Cheema was another Indian pro Vinod Kumar, who led his team to victory in the Pro-Am event on Tuesday. A shot adrift was the former champion Shamim Khan, who returned with six-under 66 at the Gokarna Golf Course.

Keeping the Nepal flag flying was the defending champion and Nepal No 1 Shiva ram Shrestha, who was in a group of five tied for fourth at five-under 67. Others to also finish at 67 were Shankar Das, Ranjit Singh and Karan Taunk and Gaurav Ghei.

There was further joy for the home nation with Sanjay Lama carding 67 and Bikash Bogati, a product of the Surya Nepal Youth Development Programme, taking the amateur lead with a well-compiled round of 69. Bishnu Sharma and Sanjeev CK shot 72s to be sharing the second place in the amateur category. 

Nepali pros Surya Prasad Sharma (71), the 2007 champion Deepak Thapa Magar (72), Purna Sharma (73), Rabi Khadka (74) and Toran Shahi (74) are also in positions to make the cut. The best Bangladeshi on show was Md Zamal Hossain Mollah who carded even-par of 72 while N Thangaraja of Sri Lanka shot a miserable seven-over 79.

The first round leader Cheema sank nine birdies with his only blemish coming on the 17th hole. After a sedate start of two pars, Cheema reeled off birdies on the third and fourth holes before hitting a real purple patch sinking birdied on the seventh, eighth, 10th, 11th, 12th, 14th and 18th. 

Kumar was equally impressive as he had seven birdies and an eagle against bogeys on the ninth and the par-3 16th hole. Shiva ram, a 10th tee starter, was four-under for his first three holes and after a bogey on the shot 13th he parred in for his first nine to be at three under. 

On the back nine, Shiva Ram sank an eagle on the 12th -- the course's third hole. Shiva Ram dropped shots on the fourth and sixth before finishing with birdies on his last two holes.