London, Aug 13 (PTI) Jeev Milkha Singh strung five birdies in a row on the back nine during his 4-under 68, in the inaugural staging of the Legends Tour Trophy.

He had six birdies against two bogeys on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course here, at the Hanbury Manor Marriott Hotel & Country Club.

Jeev’s 68 placed him in a tie for sixth, as Sweden’s Joakim Haeggman and Welshman Stephen Dodd shared the lead after the opening day.

The duo shot 6-under 66 each, while three players — South Africa’s James Kingston, Welshman Bradley Dredge and Scotsman Grieg Hutcheon — were tied third with 5-under 67 each.

Jeev, who had six birdies and two bogeys in a stretch from eighth to 15th, including five birdies in a row from 11th to the 15th, was tied-sixth with the tournament host, England’s Simon Khan, Lionel Alexandre of France, Sweden’s Niclas Fasth and Italy’s Emanuele Canonica.

It has been a good run for Jeev, who was tied-14th at the Senior Open in Wales and then fifth at JCB Championships, which was cut short to 36 holes due to inclement weather.

Jeev, playing with Michael Campbell and Canonica, had seven pars to start with and then dropped a shot on eighth.

He got that back on the ninth and turned in even par, but fell back with a bogey on 10th and then went on a birdie-spree with five in a row, closing with three pars for 68.

Haeggman’s 66 was a bogey-free round and it was matched by Dodd’s eight birdies and two bogeys.

The co-leader Dodd was positive about his round, with the Welshman at the top of the group of sixteen golfers who shot in the sixties.

Kingston, Hutcheon and Dredge went around in 67.

The host, Khan, who is the 2010 PGA Championship winner, shot 4-under 68 with six birdies and two bogeys.

Source: PTI News