January 19, 2007	Friday	Zilhaj 28, 1427

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KARACHI, Jan 18: Local hero Mohammad Shabbir was back in full cry as he enjoyed a six-under-par 66 for the early lead at the Asian Tour Pakistan Open on Thursday.

Shabbir, who was glad to be back in the groove after sustaining an injury to his lower back last year, blasted a blemish-free round that included six birdies at the Karachi Golf Club.

Malaysia’s Airil Rizman Zahari, holding second spot, also excelled with his putting and was just a stroke behind Shabbir after firing six birdies against a lone bogey at the US$300,000 event. Vivek Bhandari of India also got off to a solid start with a 68 alongside compatriots Uttam Singh Mundy and Rahul Ganapathy and Scotland’s Barry Hume.

Defending champion Chris Rodgers of England, ranked 25th on the Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit last season, enjoyed a bogey free round as he fired a 69 in joint seventh place together with Chinese Taipei’s Yeh Chang-ting, Canadian Rick Gibson, New Zealander and newcomer Stephen Scahill, India’s Amardip Malik and Aktar Ali of Pakistan.

Shabbir was among the frontrunners after just four holes when he carded three consecutive birdies at the second, third and fourth holes. He then scored three more birdies at the 10th, 11th and 15th holes to take the top spot.

“Everything worked out well for me today. My putting and driving were all on target and I am very happy,” said Shabbir, who finished joint 11th place last year.

Leading first round scores:

66 - Mohammad Shabbir (PAK).

67 - Airil Rizman Zahari (MAS).

68 - Vivek Bhandari (IND), Uttam Singh Mundy (IND), Barry Hume (SCO)

Rahul Ganapathy (IND).

69 - Aktar Ali (PAK), Amardip Malik (IND), Stephen Scahill (NZL), Chris Rodgers (ENG), Rick Gibson (CAN), Yeh Chang-ting (TPE).

70 - Simon Dunn (SCO), Peter Erofejeff (FIN), Hur In-hoi (KOR), Imdad Hussain (PAK), Scott Hend (AUS), Mohammed Munir (PAK), Marcus Both (AUS), Craig Kamps (RSA), Park Jun-won (KOR), Mitchell Brown (AUS). —Agencies