RANDHAWA, FIROZ TO LEAD INDIAN CHALLENGE 

Calcutta, March 10 :     The greens are building to a white heat. As the mercury rises over the early-March Royal Calcutta Golf Club course, so does the tension. Limbs were loosened in the day?s Pro-Am, but the sun and the beads of sweat threaten to make it a lean, mean Wills Indian Open. Starting tomorrow, 48 trios will roam the 18 holes in the quest for the $ 50,000 top prize. Among the top Indian challengers will be Jyoti Randhawa, holder Firoz Ali of Calcutta, Vijay Kumar, Arjun Atwal, also of Calcutta, and Gaurav Ghei. However, the field this time being pretty strong, and the course a bit different from what it has been (with five holes redone), pre-tournament predictions are an absolute no-no. Randhawa, at No. 22, was the top finisher among Indians on the Asian PGA Tour last year. He also won the $ 200,000 Hero Honda Masters at the Delhi Golf Club last November. In that meet he even beat Jeev Milkha Singh to second spot. He did a bit on the European circuit, finishing joint 24th in the London Myanmar Open in December, along with the likes of Brad Andrews and Aaron Meeks. Randhawa will also be teeing off tomorrow with Kang Wook-soon of Korea. Kang finished top in the Asian PGA Tour Order of Merit last year and has oodles of talent to boot. The highly competitive trio, teeing off from the tenth, is rounded off by Rick Todd of Canada. This would be the trio to watch. Vijay Kumar of India, also teeing off from the tenth, will have for company the famed Thai, Boonchu Ruangkit and South Africa?s Hendrik Buhrmann. Kumar, from Lucknow, has won five domestic tourneys this season, including the Rs 6 lakh Sir Padampat Singhania Open in Nioda last month, and is in prime shape. Boonchu, who was fifth in the Asian PGA order of merit last year is a formidable player to have by your side, and the competiton sould be beneficial. Buhrmann was tenth on the Asian Tour last year. Indian Open champion Firoz, probably the only star most accustomed to the Royal?s moods, is pitted with Chawalit Plaphol of Thailand and Eric Meeks of the US. After his historic win at the last Open here there has not been much to write home about for Firoz. However, this is a course he has grown up with and this is a course he calls home. That is Firoz? advantage. Firoz had finished 24th in the Asian PGA order of merit last year. Another feature group of the first day, also teeing off from the tenth, has in it Choi Kyoung-ju of Korea, Mike Cunning of the US and Gaurav Ghei of India. Mike Cunning is a known face (he finished 39th on the Asian Tour) and Ghei is one of the most promising pros of the country. He has won one domestic meet this year, but has the possibility of making it big at the Open. From the first tee, Ali Sher of India sets off with Simon Yates of Scotland and Rafael Ponce of Ecuador, while India?s Vivek Bhandari is with Clay devers of the US and Wayne Bradley of South Africa. Calcutta?s veteran Basad Ali will be with Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand and Christian Pena of the US. Andrew Pitts of the US will have Indrajit Bhalotia of India (and Aussie Shane Wilding) as company, whjile Calcutta?s Arjun Atwal will be going out with Kyi Hla Han of Myanmar and Kenny Druce of Australia. The cut is generally expected to be at three to four over. Top players vary about the winning score, ranging from eight under to even 15 under. The Royal has seen better scores, but this year the course has seen no rain and the sun in scorching. However, the firm greens (as players point out) could be beneficial. If one has to go by the Pro-Am marks (not a very good yardstick in itself, though) the best were from Andrew Pitts and Thongchai Jaidee, both at 67 (five under). Firoz did a par round, and the best Indians were Bhandari and Atwal, both at four under.