Peter Whiteford gets back on course in India

FIFER Peter Whiteford is hoping his confidence on the range, where he feels he can win majors, has finally been transferred back on to the course after a promising start at the Avantha Masters in India.

On a day when play was truncated due to fog, the 30-year-old carded a three-under-par 69 to lie in a tie for 11th, three shots behind leader Robert Jan Derksen.

"It was a lot better out there today, the confidence is coming back a bit and I think that I have finally found a new driver that I can use," said Whiteford. "I've had it three weeks now and the last two haven't been great but today was a lot better and I am feeling the confidence is coming.

"I am hitting the ball great on the range but it is the same old story from a golfer talking about how difficult it is to translate the way you strike it on the range to playing in a tournament. I've won majors on the range I am that good over there!

"But it's nice to get a good start and post a good score because I am long overdue a good run of form. Hopefully this can be the start of it because, as I said, I can feel the confidence coming back into my game."

Marc Warren was also three-under after 11 holes when play was halted due to darkness, with Steven O'Hara and Richie Ramsay, both one-over, also among those having to return this morning to complete their opening rounds. But Scott Jamieson was able to sign for a 72, two less than David Drysdale.

After a bogey-free 66, Derksen then revealed he has an extra incentive to triumph at this week's tournament, which is jointly sanctioned by the European, Indian and Asian Tours.

He said: "I've got a bet with my caddie that if we win this week we'll take the trophy to the Taj Mahal, but I need to win first of course. I've never been and I think this is a great occasion to make that happen."

However, with half the field still to complete their first rounds, there could yet be a new name at the top when the second round begins late this morning.

The most likely candidate is Australian Darren Beck, who had advanced to five under par with five holes still to play when darkness fell.

Also on five under in the clubhouse were Englishman Mark Foster and Argentina's Julio Zapata. Foster carded an eagle at the 15th before holing a 20-foot birdie putt on the eighth. India's Jeev Milkha Singh found the water early on and was two over after seven holes, but four birdies and a closing eagle on the par-five ninth took him into a six-strong group on four under.

The shot of the day came from Derksen's compatriot Maarten Lafeber, who recorded a hole-in-one at the 11th. That followed four birdies on the front nine but a disappointing end to his round saw him slip back to three under.

The 36-year-old, who won a Volvo for his achievement, said: "I aimed a little right of the pin to allow the wind to bring it in and hit it perfectly. It was going straight for the flag but we couldn't tell if it was in or just very close.

"We were all looking and wondering until the crowd started clapping and jumping around so then we knew that it was in."

• Italian Francesco Molinari has confirmed that he will be playing next week's WGC-Accenture Match Play in Arizona after his wife Valentina gave birth to their first child two weekends ago.