Bhullar lies Tied-10th after first round in Qatar

Gaganjeet Bhullar made a fine start in difficult conditions with a three-under 69 that placed him Tied 10th after the first round of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, here.

The 30-year-old, who won his maiden European Tour title in Fiji, was Tied-10th with 18 others on a windswept first round.

Five years ago on his debut in Qatar, Bhullar had started with a 67.

SSP Chowrasia's wretched run continued with a one-over 73 that put him a Tied-82nd.

"It was a good opening day. I started off well from the 10th and I was minus five in the first 10 holes. Then I was a bit unlucky and had a double bogey, losing the ball. That was the only blemish I had today and I parred the rest," said Bhullar.

The conditions were difficult as it was windy, just as it was in Oman last week. It was blowing from the morning so Bhullar did not have any advantage from a morning tee-off.

Adri Arnaus and Justin Walters topped the congested leaderboard as they carded first rounds of 67 each.

Arnaus, in his first full season on the European Tour after graduating from the European Challenge Tour, set the clubhouse target of five under par. Walters was one of just two golfers to go bogey-free on the Peter Harradine-designed course.

Walters' compatriots George Coetzee and Justin Harding are two of seven golfers who share third place on four-under par and 19 golfers are tied for tenth place on three under par, including last week's Oman Open winner Kurt Kitayama and one of them is Bhullar.