Derksen leads golf tournament in India

NEW DELHI, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Robert-Jan Derksen had a bogey-free 6-under-par 66 Thursday and owns the clubhouse lead at the European Tour's Avantha Masters in India.

Derksen has a 1-stroke lead over Darren Beck, Mark Foster, Julio Zapata and Darren Beck. Beck was among golfers unable to finish first-round play because of darkness.

The tournament start was delayed 3 1/2 hours because of fog and more than half the field will have to complete the first round Friday. Beck managed to get in 13 holes but other golfers played as few as six Thursday.

Derksen opened his round on the back nine of the DLF Golf and Country Club and was 1-under after seven holes. He then posted birdies at Nos. 17 and 18. He was also 3-under on the front nine, taking birdies at the third, sixth and ninth holes.

"It was good," Derksen said. "It was a bit of a wait this morning but it was worth the wait.

"I played steady, drove it nicely -- I think that's important on this course. Putting was much better than the last few weeks, I've struggled a little bit with that but today it was much better."

Foster's round included an eagle and six birdies but also three bogeys. Zapata also had an eagle and one bogey but also four birdies on the back nine. Beck, playing the back nine first, had a bogey and six birdies, four of which came in the span of holes 14-18.