Pornanong roars back in Singapore

Thai joins Tseng, 2 shots off leader Munoz in 1st round

World No 1 Tseng Yani sank an eagle on 18 to shoot up the leader board at Singapore's star-studded HSBC Women's Champions and put pressure on first-round leader Azahara Munoz of Spain.

Tseng watched her 25-foot downhill putt disappear into the cup then threw arms-aloft as she rocketed up the standings to lie three shots behind Munoz with a 68.

Munoz ended a hot first day at the par-72 Sentosa Golf Club two shots clear on seven-under-par 65 after sinking four birdies on her front nine plus three on the way back.

The Spaniard finished bogey-free and ahead of five players tied for second, including American world No 4 Stacy Lewis and Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum.

Pornanong recovered from disappointing form on home soil last week, where she finished even-par and 16th in Pattaya, to card a 5-under 67. The former Thai No 1 sank six birdies against a lone bogey on the 10th hole.

"Last week I didn't feel confident at all as my driving and putting let me down. But today I was putting quite well. The course is quite narrow so I had to focus on hitting the fairways. When you hit good approach shots and putt well, it really helps," said Pornanong. She lies two shots ahead of the country's new No 1 Ariya Jutanugarn, who carded an opening 69.

"The conditions here are different from last week as the course is narrow. So I had to be careful with my driving. Apart from that bogey on the second hole, I'm quite happy with my game," said 17-year-old Ariya, who recovered well with a flurry of birdies, on the sixth, seventh, 10th and 12th holes. She shares 11th place with South Korean Amy Yang, Choi Na-yeon and China's Feng Shanshan.

Ariya's elder sister Moriya Jutanugarn carded a 73 after getting a late call-up due to the withdrawals of Pak Se-ri and Ai Miyazato.

Tseng, another shot back and hunting her first win in nearly a year, is among four players on 68 including America's Paula Creamer, who made light of whiplash injuries sustained in a car crash after last week's event in Thailand.

Japan's Ai Miyazato was forced to pull out of the Singapore event as she recovers from similar injuries, sustained in a five-car smash in Bangkok, which also involved Norway's Suzann Pettersen.

Tseng carded three birdies and a bogey over her first seven holes, and then parred 10 in a row for what looked destined to be a quiet round - until her grandstand finish.

Afterwards, she revealed that the unerring final stroke won her a bet with her manager, who will now have to accompany her on a skydiving trip.

"I told her I needed some motivation, a little energy. So I told her a 69 is a tie and 68 I win. Her bet was for a Louis Vuitton bag and that if I won, she would go skydiving with me in Hawaii," said Tseng.

"When that putt dropped, I was so happy. I was looking for her, I saw her face, I thought she was going to cry, so I think that's very good motivation."

World No 2 Choi Na-yeon, who is threatening to leapfrog Tseng to the top of the rankings, shot 69 to lie alongside Ariya, who recovered well from the final-hole disaster that cost her victory in Pattaya last week.

Former teen prodigy Michelle Wie, now 23 and ranked 73rd, finished the day one under par.

Matsuyama leads open qualifying

Two-time Asia-Pacific amateur champion Hideki Matsuyama of Japan and Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh fired 6-under rounds of 66 yesterday to share the lead after the first round of the Asian International Final Qualifying event for the British Open.

China's Hu Mu, Australia's Scott Barr and Singapore pair Quincy Quek and Lam Zhigun had a share of third place at 5 under at the par-72 Amata Spring Country Club course. American Anthony Kang was in a group of eight at 4 under. Four players qualify from the Asian IFQ, one of five continental qualifiers for the British Open.

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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2013/03/03/pornanong-roars-back-in-singapore/