Randhawa fires a five-under 67

KUALA LUMPUR, AUG. 10. Jyoti Randhawa fired a five-under 67 to be a stroke behind Japanese Kazayoshi Yonekura, along with American Ted Purdy, on the opening day of the $250,000 Volvo Masters of Malaysia at the Kota Permai Golf and Country Club on Thursday.

A thunderstorm forced the postponement of the afternoon session with 71 players scheduled to complete their first round on Saturday morning.

Randhawa and Englishman Simon Dyson, who will top the Davidoff Tour Order of Merit if either player wins this tournament on Sunday, launched their assault in style. Dyson was lying joint fourth with 68.

``I putted better than expected but the difference for me this year is that I am believing more in my game and my swing. I have worked hard with my coach Kel Llewellyn and I am enjoying the rewards now,'' said Randhawa, the Wills Indian Open winner. The Indian star, back from the British Open at St. Andrews, had eight birdies and three bogeys in his morning round.

Among the other Indians, Arjun Atwal and Digvijay Singh shot 71s to be joint 20th. Feroz Ali was on 75, tied for the 52nd slot, while Amish Jaitha had a 79 to be joint 66th.

Yonekura was happy with his opening round but rued a three-putt bogey at the par-five 18th.

The scores (71 players yet to complete opening round): Kazayoshi Yonekura (Jpn) 66; Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) and Ted Purdy (US) 67; Simon Dyson (Eng), Rodrigo Cuello (Phi), Kang Wook-Soon (Kor) and Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) 68; Lam Chih-Eng (Sin), A. Durairaj (Mas), Justin Hobday (RSA), Thongchai Jaidee (Tha), Lu Wen Tei (Tpe), Mike Cunning (US), Chang Tse-Peng (Tpe) and Chow Hun-Nan (Tpe).

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