Scott Vincent (Pix Asian Tour) and Veer Ahlawat (File Pic).
August 11: Young Veer Ahlawat one of the early starters of the day in the opening round of the US$1.5 million International Series Singapore, shot 3-under 69 despite a closing bogey at the Tampines Course at Tanah Merah Country Club. Ahlawat was placed T-19 as the other Indians turned in modest scores in Singapore.
The next best Indian was SSP Chawrasia, who closed birdie-birdie for a 2-under 70 card that put him T-26th place. Shubhankar Sharma and Ajeetesh Sandhu also shot 2-under 70 and were the only ones to shoot under par.
Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent fired a sizzling bogey-free eight-under-par 64 in the opening round. He was one clear of the Malaysia’s Gavin Green (65) while Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, Phachara Khongwatmai and Tirawat Kaewsiribandit, Korean Kyongjun Moon, Englishman Steve Lewton, and Filipino Juvic Pagunsan carded 67s conditions that were were very hot and humid.
Aman Raj and Rashid Khan with 72 each were T-62, while last week’s winner Gaganjeet Bhullar was one of the XX Indians to shoot 1-over 73 to be T-78. Others shooting 73 were Shiv Kapur, Jyoti Randhawa and Honey Baisoya. S Chikkarangappa shot 74 and was T-100 needing a good second round to make the cut. Amateur Yash Majumdar (75) was T-112, Rahil Gangjee (76) was T-122, Jeev Milkha Singh (78), Viraj Madappa (79) and Chiragh Kumar (81) were further down needing to do a lot of work to stay on for the weekend.
Vincent won the International Series England in Newcastle in June and leads the International Series Order of Merit, having tied for 11th in the International Series Thailand in March, and was once again in inspired form in the Asian Tour’s new series of million-dollar plus events.
Vincent’s brother Kieran, a rookie, returned a 68 along with ten other players including American Peter Uihlein. It’s his debut on the Asian Tour.
Green is battling back from a bad bout of COVID which he picked up in the US recently
Pre-tournament favourite Patrick Reed from the United States carded a 73.
