Himmat tied cards four-under 68 to finish fourth in Manila Masters

Himmat Rai

Manila, Nov 20 (IANS)

Indian golfer Himmat Rai carded four-under 68 to finish joint fourth after the first round of the $1 million Resorts World Manila Masters, as Shiv Kapur and Rashid Khan shared fifth position at the par-72 Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club here Thursday.

Himmat trails Singapore's leaders Mardan Mamat and Daisuke Kataoka by three strokes. While Mamat hit eight birdies against a lone bogey to score 65, Kataoka fired seven birdies in a bogey-free round.

Reigning Asian Tour number one Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand and seasoned Malaysian campaigner Danny Chia carded 66 to trail by one point against the leaders.

South Korean Wang Jeung-hun, Chinese Taipei's Lu Wen-teh, United States' Paul Peterson and local hero Antonio Lascuna shared the fourth position with Himmat.

Other Indians in the fray, Chirag Kumar, Jyoti Randhawa and Arjun Atwal shared eighth position after scoring 72.

Rahil Gangjee finished joint ninth with 73 and Jeev Milkha Singh carded four-over 76 to share 12th place with seven other golfers.

Leaderboard:

65: Mardan Mamat (SIN), Daisuke Kataoka (JPN).

66: Danny Chia (MAS), Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA).

67: Terry Pilkadaris (AUS), Juvic Pagunsan (PHI), Anthony Kang (USA), Sam Brazel (AUS), Hung Chien-yao (TPE).

68: Wang Jeung-hun (KOR), Lu Wen-teh (TPE), Paul Peterson (USA), Antonio Lascuna (PHI), Himmat Rai (IND).

69: Jhonnel Ababa (PHI), Shiv Kapur (IND), Elmer Salvador (PHI), Javi Colomo (ESP), Nicholas Fung (MAS), Rashid Khan (IND).

70: Adilson Da Silva (BRA), Lu Wei-chih (TPE), Chapchai Nirat (THA), Bryce Easton (RSA), Benjie Magada (PHI), Jbe Kruger (RSA), Jazz Janewattananond (THA), Unho Park (AUS), George Gandranata (INA), Lionel Weber (FRA), Simon Yates (SCO).

71: Namchok Tantipokhakul (THA), Clyde Mondilla (PHI), Kieran Pratt (AUS), Scott Barr (AUS), Siddikur Rahman (BAN), Steve Lewton (ENG), Thitiphun Chuayprakong (THA), Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA), Arie Irawan (MAS), Liang Wen-chong (CHN), Jay Bayron (PHI), Richard T. Lee (CAN), Rene Menor (PHI).