Kolkata [ Images ] pro Yusuf Ali shot a three-under par 67 to lead the field after the opening round in the Hyundai [ Images ] Open golf championship in Chennai on Wednesday.

Yusuf's uncle, Akbar Ali, and cousin Rafiq Ali returned a card of two-under 68 each to trail the leader by a solitary stroke. Uttam Singh Mundy, another Kolkata pro, returned an identical card to share the second position.

Defending champion Mukesh Kumar, last year's rookie of the year Ashok Kumar, Delhi [ Images ] pro Pappan, Monish Bindra and SSP Chowrasia returned cards of one-under par 69 each to share the fifth position. Seven others were tied for the tenth position on a day where only 16 par or sub-par scores were recorded.

Yusuf Ali made a good beginning from the tenth with a birdie. Playing steady golf, he made two more on the 12th and 16th.

Earlier, a bad tee shot on the 15th forced the Kolkata pro to return a bogey. After a birdie on the fifth, Yusuf Ali had two consecutive bogeys on the sixth and seventh after being in the centre of the fairway on the latter. His three-wood second shot hit the green and rolled into the bunker. Yusuf failed to make 'an up and down' and ended up with a bogey. However, the back-to-back bogeys did not deter Yusuf's game as he finished with birdies on the remaining holes.

In the amateur category, L Selvadurai shot a one-over par 71 to lead the amateur field. D Nagaraj was four strokes behind the leader.