Jeev, Randhawa off to a slow start in Italy

Milan, May 3 (UNI) Jeev Milkha Singh enjoyed a blemish-free opening round of three-under 69 but could only manage a tied 39th spot while compatriot Jyoti Randhawa languished at the 70th spot at the 1,700,000 euros Telecom Italia Open here today.

Fresh from missing the cut at last week's Byron Nelson Championship, Jeev was more measured this time around, resulting in a flawless round in which he fired three birdies on the 2nd, followed by successive ones on the 14th and 15th holes.

Randhawa did not live upto his potential, reeling off two birdies against a dropped shot for a first round score of one-under 71 to lie two strokes behind his more famous countrymate.

Atop the leaderboard, Swede Joakim Backstrom broke the Tolcinasco course record to take a single stroke lead with a faultless 10-under-par 62, a shot better than the record.

The tall Swede is one stroke clear of Austrian Markus Brier, with Japan's Taichi Teshima a further shot back.

Backstrom fired two eagles and six birdies and beat his career-best score by two strokes.

Play began despite heavy thunderstorms on Wednesday night.

UNI