New Delhi // Sri Lanka’s Mithun Perera birdied four of his last five holes to lead the Panasonic Open India and raise hopes of his first Asian Tour win on Thursday.
Perera’s six-under-par 66 at Delhi Golf Club gave him a one-shot lead over India’s Chiragh Kumar and Sattaya Supupramai of Thailand.
Perera, who lost in a three-way play-off last year, had two opening birdies from close range and finished with more on 14, 15, 17 and 18 to seize the first round lead.
“It is nice to start with two gimmie birdies. That gave me a lot of confidence,” said Perera, according to the Asian Tour. “I kept the ball in play and that’s the key to a good score here.”
“I had a good round because my driver worked and I holed some good putts. I’ll try and keep to this rhythm in the next three rounds. I always have good confidence when I’m here because of my accuracy,” he added.
Leading scores (par 72)
66 - Mithun Perera (SRI)
67 - Chiragh Kumar (IND), Sattaya Supupramai (THA)
68 - Thitiphun Chuayprakong (THA), N. Thangaraja (SRI), Siddikur Rahman (BAN), Thaworn Wiratchant (THA), Abhijit Chadha (IND)
69 - Anura Rohana (SRI), Niall Turner (IRL), Chikka S. (IND), Shankar Das (IND), Jyoti Randhawa (IND), K. Prabagaran (SRI), Khalin Joshi (IND), George Gandranata (INA)
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UPI facts
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Director: Brady Corbet
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Rating: 3.5/5
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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Expert advice
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Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
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