Shiv Kapur in joint lead
in individual golf

India's brightest prospect for a gold medal in golf, Shiv Kapur played an outstanding game today to jointly lead the field with a first round score of two-under 70 in the individual event at the Asian Games.

Kapur shares the lead with Chinese Taipei's Chen Liang Cheng.

However, erratic play by both Keshav Misra and G Harendra Prasad affected India's position in the team events being held concurrently. Chinese Taipei leads in the team events too with an aggragate of 218 points while India are in fifth position with a total of 226.

The Delhi-based Kapur, presently studying in the United States, began his campaign with a deserving birdie on the 382-yard first hole but dropped a shot in the very next. Yet another bogey in the fourth saw Kapur's card show a deficit. However, a birdie on the fifth hole helped him par his outward journey.

Kapur was in excellent form on his return home with birdies on the 11th and 17th. He parred the remaining seven holes to emerge joint leader.

Cheng had three birdies and a bogey in his two under 70 score.

Among the other Indians in fray, Manav Das finished the day on sixth position with three others on with a two-over 74, performing way below his potential. Das had three birdies but rued faring poorly on the seventh hole. He bogeyed on the 3rd, 13th and 18th holes.

Both Prasad and Mishra returned a 10-over 82 to be placed joint 41st along with six others.