Dubai, Feb 7 (PTI) First round joint leader Jeev Milkha Singh had to be content with a tied 15th finish after signing off with his worst card of the week in the Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament here today. Jeev began the USD 2.5 million event in the right earnest, carding a four-under 68 in tough conditions, but could not maintain the tempo and his top 10 hopes went up in smoke today as he went two-over 74 to total four-under 284.
Among other Indians in fray, Shiv Kapur too managed an identical two-over 74, while SSP Chowrasia carded four-over 76 to finish tied 51 and tied 60 respectively. Overnight tied 9th, Jeev had a forgettable front nine and at the turn the Indian was two-over, courtesy two bogeys at the second and ninth hole.
On resumption, Jeev tried to pull things back by picking a stroke at the 10th but a 16th hole bogey brought him back to square one. Shiv, meanwhile, faltered on both side of the turn.
The Indian dropped bogeys at the first, seventh and the 18th hole and sunk a double bogey at the 12th, against birdies at the sixth, 13th and 15th hole. However, Chowrasia had the most disappointing day in the greens as the Kolkata pro dropped four bogeys and a double bogey and had just two birdies, one at each side of the turn.
At the top, Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez (72) eclipsed Lee Westwood (72) of England in a sudden death play off to emerge as the champion, while one stroke behind was Thongchai Jaidee (73) of Thailand.
