Kapur overcome illness to fire 66 for tied 2nd spot

Indian golfer Shiv Kapur overcame a stomach bug to shoot a brilliant six-under 66 to lie tied second after the first round of the Open Championship International Final Qualifying Asia here on Thursday.

The Delhi golfer, who had a top 10 finish at the Avantha Masters, shares the second spot with Bangladeshi sensation Siddikur Rahman and Korea's Lee Sung-Man, a deaf-born golfer who started having the ability to hear after having an implant surgically placed in his right ear last November.

Among other Indians, Gaganjeet Bhullar carded two-under 70 for a tied 24th place, while Himmat Rai was tied 35 after turning in one-under 71.

However, it was Japan's Kodai Ichihara who enjoyed the first round lead with a seven-under-par 65 at Amata Spring Country Club here.

The home charge was carried by Prom Meesawat, who fired a solid 67 which was matched by Korean duo Kim Hyung-sung and Bae Kyu-tae.

Liang Wen-chong, China's first Asian Tour number one in 2007, Japanese Yoshinobu Tsukada, home stars Pariya Junhasavasdikul, Prayad Marksaeng and Chinnarat Phadungsil, Australian Gavin Flint, England's Miles Tunnicliff and Singapore's Lam Chih Bing cards matching 68s to stay in the hunt for the four tickets to The Open.

Kapur, the man who pipped Lee for the last ticket five years ago, contemplated withdrawing after falling ill overnight but produced one of the best rounds of the day.

"I've been sick as a dog and on the way to the club this morning, I thought there was no way I could play. Since I was already here, I decided to give it a go and once I got into a playing mode, I forgot about being sick and carried on playing one shot at a time," Kapur said.

"My caddie (Neeraj Sareen) also reminded me of the old saying at the start of the day and I didn't think about anything. I was seven under through 14 holes and it seems that I've got a chance now. I was lucky to get in 18 holes," said the Indian, a one-time winner on the Asian Tour.

The British Open Championship will take place at Royal St George's from July 14-17.