Sri Lankan Mithun Perera's classy six-under-64 gave him the opening round honours at the 10th edition of the CG Open being played at the Bombay Presidency Golf Club here today.
Mumbai's leading golfer Anil Bajrang Mane too had a terrific start to the week as he carded a five-under-65 to be placed joint second along with Patna's Aman Raj and Delhi- based Vikram Rana.
Perera returned to one of his favourite venues in style making 17 greens in regulation and eight birdies. He fired birdies on his first three holes, the 10th, 11th and 12th.
The 30-year-old, a winner of five individual titles on the PGTI, then stumbled with a couple of three-putt bogeys on the 13th and 17th.
Perera got his round back on track by picking up three more stokes over the next five holes. He finally ended the day with a flourish, sinking birdie putts from a range of 20 to 25 feet on the seventh and eighth.
Local favourite Mane put up a display of some exceptional wedge shots during his round of 65. His round took off after his birdie chip-in on the 16th.
The 36-year-old, who began from the 10th tee on Wednesday, accumulated six birdies over 16 holes before dropping his lone bogey on the eighth.
Raj, a runner-up twice this year, made an eagle, four birdies and a bogey during his round of 65 while Vikram posted the same score, making six birdies, including a chip-in on the fourth, against a lone bogey.
The four golfers bunched in tied fifth place at four- under-66 were Noida's Pradeep Kumar, Delhi-based Veer Ahlawat, veteran Mukesh Kumar of Mhow and Lucknow's Sanjeev Kumar.
PGTI Order of Merit leader Udayan Mane of Ahmedabad was a further shot back in tied ninth.
Noida's Arjun Sharma made a hole-in-one on the 10th en route his round of 69 that placed him tied 29th.
Defending champion Shamim Khan of Delhi struck a 70 to be tied 40th.
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