Charl Schwartzel of South Africa studies the green during the first round of Thailand Golf Championship.
Schwartzel one shot ahead at Thailand Golf Championship
Last year's runner-up Charl Schwartzel shot 65 to grab a one-stroke lead over local rising star Thitiphun Chuayprakong in the opening round of the US$1-million Thailand Golf Championship at the 7,453-yard, par-72 Amata Spring Country Club yesterday.
The 2011 Masters champion, who last year lost out to England's Lee Westwood by seven strokes, started on the back nine with three birdies before adding four more on the front for an error-free round.
"It was a hot morning. In the beginning I thought the ball wasn't going so far because the course was playing difficult. The back nine seemed to get a little better. Overall I think I did really well. I found a lot of fairways and to me that's the key on this golf course because the rough is so high," said the 28-year-old from Johannesburg, who is looking for his first title since triumphing at Augusta.
A stroke behind is 20-year-old Thitiphun, who like the South African had a bogey-free round, shooting 66 to become the best local performer in the star-studded tournament.
"My driving shots travelled well. I made two long birdie putts and two good approach shots. The conditions were perfect as the greens were soft and the fairways great," said the college student, who has two third-place finishes on the Asian Tour, in Indonesia last year and Macau this year.
"Past experience means I am now able to control my nerves. And I'm playing without any pressure, having secured my Tour card in Khon Kaen last week," said Thitiphun who finished tied 39th in the King's Cup last week.
The duo of Daniel Chopra of Sweden and Spain's Javi Colomo, who finished joint 11th last week in Khon Kaen, were a stroke adrift after rounds of 67.
"The wind got up a little bit and I only had one practice round yesterday in the Pro-Am. I was not quite sure how the golf course was going to play. I played very nicely and towards the end, missed a few greens but kept going," said Chopra, a two-time PGA Tour winner.
World No 3 Bubba Watson of the US, the highest ranked player in the field, hit a 68 for joint fifth after an uneven round of one eagle and six birdies against four bogeys.
"It didn't feel that good. It was a solid round but I made a few mistakes, hit a cart path and bounced into the woods and had to take an unplayable lie and had a three-putt on 17. I finished with a birdie on the last so all in all I guess it's not too bad," said the 2012 Masters champion, who shares fifth place along with local young gun Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Japan's Masanori Kobayashi and South Koreans Mo Joong-kyung and Park Hyun-bin.
Following a shot behind are a group of Thailand's top players comprising Asian Tour Order of Merit No 1 Thaworn Wiratchant, Thongchai Jaidee, Prom Meesawat and newcomer Annop Tangkamolprasert. They all hit 69s for tied 10th position along with Spaniard Sergio Garcia, who caught fans' eyes with his neon-yellow shirt.
Defending champion Westwood, who last year carded a record 60 in the opening round, failed to find any momentum and had to settle for a 70 and joint 21st place.
Arnond Vongvanich, who last week won his maiden title in Khon Kaen, was forced to retire on the third hole with a back muscle strain he aggravated in the Pro-Am on Wednesday. Arnond said the injury was not serious, but he regretted not being able to play in the same group as Watson and Ishikawa.
"I had been looking forward to this tournament because there are many stars here and I'm putting and hitting well. But my body would not allow me to continue, which is disappointing," said Arnond, who hopes to recover in time for next week's Johor Open.
Meanwhile, the pros raised Bt7.18 million through an auction of memorabilia at a gala dinner at the St Regis Hotel on Wednesday night. All proceeds will go to the Sai Jai Thai foundation of His Majesty the King.
First-round scores
65 - Charl Schwartzel (RSA)
66 - Thitiphun Chuayprakong (THA)
67 - Daniel Chopra (SWE), Javi Colomo (ESP)
68 - Bubba Watson (USA), Mo Joong-Kyung (KOR), Park Hyun-Bin (KOR), Masanori Kobayashi (JPN), Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA)
69 - Wade Ormsby (AUS), Darren Beck (AUS), Annop Tangkamolprasert (THA), Serigo Garcia (ESP), Luke List (USA), Prom Meesawat (THA), Thongchai Jaidee (THA), Thawon Wiratchant (THA), Jbe Kruger (RSA), Juvic Pagunsan (PHP), Jyoti Randhawa (IND)
Selected scores:
70 - Darren Clarke (NIR), Lee Westwood (ENG), Ryo Ishikawa (JPN)
71 - Hunter Mahan (USA)
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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2012/12/07/flawless-thitiphun-leads-thai-charge/
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