Shankar Das of Kolkata posted a gallant five-under-67 in difficult weather conditions to grab the first round lead at the PGTI Players Championship being played at the Oxford Golf and Country Club here today.
Md Zamal Hossain Mollah of Bangladesh is two strokes off the lead in second place.
The scoring conditions were tough as the day witnessed light rain accompanied by a gentle breeze. As a result it turned out to be a high-scoring day.
Shankar produced six birdies against a lone bogey in his opening round of 67.
The three-time winner on the PGTI started his tournament with a birdie on the 10th, his first hole of the day. He fired his approach shot from 145 yards within a foot of the hole on the 10th. The 30-year-old Shankar then sank a seven-footer for birdie on the 16th. His lone bogey came on the 17th where he three-putted.
Shankar knocked down four birdies on his second nine when the playing conditions were the toughest. He converted an eight feet putt for birdie on the third and followed that up with a brilliant chip from the edge to set up a birdie on the fourth.
Shankar went on to pick up two more birdies on the fifth and ninth after landing his approach shots within six feet on both occasions.
