PAKISTAN OPEN RELATED STORIES Pakistan Open Preview Round 1: Six way tie for lead in Karachi Round 2: Rodgers and Mouland lead by two Round 3: Rodgers has three shot cushion Round 4: Chris Rodgers claims maiden victory Final Scores & Prize Money Local hero Hussain seeks Pakistan glory More World Ranking points for Asian Tour Minoza to return to Karachi 17 years on Pakistan Open to join Asian Tour ASIAN GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Bae clinches home win Tanihara takes Panasonic title Su Dong's lead cut to two Hole-in-One Jeev shares the lead Korea, Philippines, Italy for World Cup Lu wins record 4th Taiwan Masters Aussie PGA rethinks 'One Asia' GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Seve has a brain tumor Schwartzel wins by three Jay Haas on brink of another senior money title Justin Leonard looking to break Texas Open record Father & Son event sign up with Sky Sports

Six way tie for lead in Karachi

There was a six-way tie for the lead after an action-packed first round of the Pakistan Open on Thursday with local hope Imdad Hussain delivering the cheers.

The unheralded Hussain carded a fine four-under-par 68 at Karachi Golf Club to share the lead with Indian trio Jeev Milkha Singh, Ashok Kumar and Amandeep Johl, Welshman Mark Mouland and Australian Pat Giles.

A further stroke back in the US$200,000 event were England's Chris Rodgers, who won the Asian Tour Qualifying School last weekend, Olle Nordberg of Sweden, Indian duo Amritinder Singh and Arjun Singh and Japan's Akinori Tani.

Australia's Marcus Both, currently sixth on the UBS Order of Merit, started his campaign with a 70 to be tied with amongst others, Singapore's veteran M. Murugiah.

The Pakistan Open is making its debut on the Asian Tour this week and Hussain is looking to add to his three previous victories in his home Open. He surged up the leaderboard despite a sluggish start on his outward nine, from the 10th hole.

Hussain birdied his opening hole, dropped a double bogey on the par five 11th before bouncing back with six more birdies and one bogey.

“I was not discouraged by the double bogey and kept my pace,” said Hussain, who won the title in 1993, 1996 and 1998 when it was a domestic event. “I am not surprised to be in the lead as I played well today. After I turned in two under, I knew I could be among the leaders,” he said.

Jeev Milkha Singh, one of India's leading stalwarts on the international scene, hopes to maintain his solid start although he admitted he was surprised to earn a share of the opening day's honours. A four-time winner in Asia, Singh is looking to end a winless run which stretches back to 1999.

“I did not set any targets coming into this tournament, so sharing the lead is definitely a good result,” said Singh, who enjoyed a blemish-free round with birdies on the 14th, 17th and the first holes before dropping a 20 foot putt for a birdie on the ninth hole.

It was a similarly story for Kumar, bidding for his first Asian Tour title, as he got off to a wonderful start. He birdied the 11th, 16th, 17th and third holes and was bogey free for the day.

“I am determined to continue my strong start as I am eager to win this tournament. My best finish on Tour is tied third in the Myanmar Open (last year) and I hope to better that result here,” said the 22-year-old Kumar.

Giles birdied the second and third holes prior to his only bogey on the fifth hole. He then birdied the sixth and snared a massive 25 foot putt for a birdie on the 10th. The Australian closed with a birdie on the 18th hole.

“This is a great course and the fairways are fantastic, the weather too has been good,” said Giles. "I hope to work on my putting to further improve my score as I missed quite a few easy putts,” he said.

Filipino great Frankie Minoza, who won the title back in 1989, and local hero Taimur Hussain were both tied 32nd after shooting matching 72s to lie four off the lead.

“It was a good round although I shot even-par. The course is in good shape and it is great to be competing here,” said Hussain, Pakistan's only winner on the Asian Tour following his triumph in the Myanmar Open in 1998.

Leading first round scores

68 - Ashok Kumar (IND), Jeev Milkha Singh (IND), Amandeep Johl (IND), Pat Giles (AUS) , Imdad Hussain (PAK), Mark Mouland (WAL)
69 - Akinori Tani (JPN), Arjun Singh (IND), Amritinder Singh (IND), Chris Rodgers (ENG), Olle Nordberg (SWE)
70 - Shahid Javed Khan (PAK), Marcus Both (AUS), Matloob Ahmed (PAK), S.S.P. Chowrasia (IND), Lee Rhind (SCO), Barry Hume (SCO), Muhammed Munir (PAK), Jeremy Kavanagh (ENG), Shabbir Iqbal (PAK), David Hutton (ENG), M. Murugiah (SIN)
71 - Javed Inayat (PAK), Anura Rohana (SRI), Unho Park (AUS), Chris Travers (AUS), Sushi Ishigaki (JPN), Simon Dunn (SCO), Vagas Ahmed [A] (PAK), Muhammad Tariq (PAK), Digvijay Singh (IND)
72 - Anusorn Songserm (THA), Taimur Hussain (PAK), Vivek Bhandari (IND), Rahil Gangjee (IND), Anthony Kang (USA), Frankie Minoza (PHI), Jochen Lupprian (GER)
Josh Lane (AUS), Kang Ji-Man (KOR), James Stewart (HKG), Sajjad Khan (PAK)

January 19, 2006