Madan Mamat plays a shot during the first round of the King
Singaporean birdies to 1-shot lead in Khon Kaen
Singaporean Madan Mamat saved the best for last as he fired five finishing birdies for a superb 9-under 63 to grab a one-stroke lead in the first round of the US$500,000 King's Cup yesterday.
With local dark-horse Supakorn Utaipat and Briton Chris Rodgers having finished with 64s to share the clubhouse lead, the three time Asian Tour winner Mamat spoiled their moment by knocking five straight birdies from holes 14 to 18 for a total 10 birdies, against one bogey on the 13th hole.
"I don't know when was the last time I shot nine under. I'm very pleased with my round today. I hit the ball very well and putted very well. I holed a few putts, which was the key to the round. This is the best I have putted this year," said the 45-year-old father of five, who won his third Asian Tour trophy in the Philippine Open at the start of the year.
Supakorn, with his new drivers, carded a career low 64, thanks to six birdies plus an eagle on the sixth hole. Like Rodgers, his was an error-free round at the par-72 7,546-yard Singha Park Khon Kaen Golf Club.
"With the new drivers, I can hit up to 300 yards. I didn't make any mistakes at all - all my opening shots found the fairways. I have a slight edge on this course as I've played here four times this year,'' said the 22-year-old Bangkokian, who is enjoying support from his girlfriend, a nurse at Sri Nakharin Hospital.
Three years ago Supakorn thought his career had come to an end after a severe road accident deprived him of the chance to represent Thailand at the 2009 SEA Games.
"At that time I didn't expect to be able to play again. The collarbone was broken, fractured and dislocated. My car was a wreck. I was crying at the thought I wouldn't be able to play again,'' said Supakorn who, against his doctor's instructions, picked up the clubs seven months later and won the 2010 Singha Thailand Match Play tournament before helping Thailand claim the Southeast Asian Putra Cup the same year.
The King's Cup is just his third Asian Tour appearance.
Starting on the back nine, two-time Asian Tour winner Rodgers reeled off six birdies on holes 11, 12, 14, 16, 17 and 18 before adding two more on the sixth and eighth for 8-under 64. The 36-year-old lost his card in 2010, which has limited the number of events he has played this year.
"It's been a long while since I've had a good first round. You tend to only shoot par … if you don't play much, like me. So shooting eight under on the first day coming out of not really playing the last month or so is exciting.
"It keeps you focused and it's encouraging to know that you still have good scores somewhere in you. You just have to find them sometimes," said Rodgers who won the Qualifying School in Malaysia 2006 and the Pakistan Open the same year.
At joint fourth were Thailand's Prom Meesawat, Arnond Vongvanu, 2010 champion Udorn Duangdecha and Australian Rick Kulacz, each with a 67.
A stroke behind at joint eighth were Chilean Felipe Aguilar (Chi), Taiwanese Lin Weng-tang, Spaniard Javi Colomo and locals Pariya Junhasavasdikul and Wittawat Sae-ung.
Pre-tournament favourites Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant shot 67 and 68 respectively.
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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2012/11/30/mamat-leaves-it-late-to-shine/
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