Samui, Thailand; June 16: Thai star Prayad Marksaeng (right) snatched the first round lead at the Queen’s Cup with a six-under-par 65 on Thursday to give himself a chance at exorcising the ghost of Samui.
The 45-year-old veteran, who has two top-three finishes at Santiburi Samui Country Club and jointly led into last year’s final round before fading into sixth place, was rock solid on a windy day to shoot seven birdies against a bogey for a one-shot lead from India’s Anirban Lahiri.
Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wen-tang, in-form South African Jbe Kruger, Australia’s Gavin Flint and Finnish rookie Kale Samooja all carded 67s to stay within striking distance of the leader in the US$300,000 Asian Tour tournament.
“I’ve come close a few times in Samui. I came here with the intention of taking the first round lead and it’s good I achieved this. My goal is to win and I feel confident,” said Prayad, a six-time Asian Tour champion but winless on the circuit since 2007.
After Lahiri set the early clubhouse target with a 66, the smooth-swinging Prayad charged up the leaderboard by negotiating his opening 10 holes in six under, highlighted by a monstrous 30-foot birdie on seven and a chip-in on eight. A wrong club selection on 12 saw him drop a shot but he regained the initiative with a textbook four-foot birdie on the par five 18th hole.
“It was windy but my game was pretty steady. It was tough conditions especially on the back nine,” said the Thai.
His main worry in his quest to land the elusive Queen’s Cup is a broken driver. Prayad said the clubhead started to rattle during his warm-up and got worse through the round. “I only brought one driver to Samui. I’ll need to get it fixed here or have one flown in from Bangkok overnight,” he said.
The 23-year-old Lahiri, who claimed a maiden Asian Tour victory two months ago, displayed his new-found confidence with six birdies and a bogey. “Before this tournament, I was struggling with my right shoulder and pulled out of a tournament in India on the last day last week. I still got that niggle but I’m glad I focused on my golf today and it was good,” said Lahiri.
With his best friend Dakshya Kalia caddying for him on the holiday isle of Samui, a relaxed Lahiri bounced back from his early blemish on the 10th hole with birdies on 13, 15 and 16. He birdied the first and then picked up further shots on both the par fives on his homeward stretch.
“I love the course and love the place. It’s not an easy tract. You need to have a few rounds and you need to be smart and understand how the greens are shaped. They don’t behave like what they look like but playing here the last few years has given me some experience to handle the course,” said Lahiri, who was ninth here two years ago.
Two recent runner-up finishes in Taipei, including at the Transcend Open on the Asian Development Tour, has fired up Lin, who is a five-time winner on Tour. Using softer shafts on all his clubs, his game was sharp as he set up easy birdies.
“I hit my driver very straight all day,” smiled Lin. “Everything worked. The last two tournaments at home, I finished second. It made me angry especially in the last tournament where I lost in a play-off. Everyone calls me Taiwan number one, so this year I need to win a trophy.”
Tour rookie Samooja, 23, admitted he was in awe when he first stepped foot at the par-71 Santiburi Samui course, which is nicknamed “The Beast of Samui.” But after an opening bogey, the Finn steadied the ship with five birdies to give himself a chance of a first pay cheque after four straight missed cuts.
“I was in shock when I first got here as it is so undulating,” said Samooja. “But I got a good practice round in and got the yardages right. Of course it’s hard to fly a long way and miss all the cuts. You just have to keep going. Three rounds left.”
Into his seventh season in Asia, Flint is desperate to land a first title and six birdies against a double bogey on 12 put him on the right track at the Queen’s Cup, which made its Asian Tour debut in 2009.
“That’s the best I’ve hit the ball for quite some time. Have to try to keep that going,” said Flint. “I had plenty of birdie opportunities and it was nice to make a good start.”
Title holder Tetsuji Hiratsuka opened his campaign with a 73.
Leading first round scores
65 Prayad Marksaeng (THA)
66 Anirban Lahiri (Ind)
67 Gavin Flint (Aus), Kalle Samoorja (Fin), Jbe Kruger (Rsa), Lin Wen-tang (Tpe)
68 Digvijay Singh (Ind), Tanutchan Puaktes (Tha), Udorn Duangdecha (Tha), Daisuke Maruyama (Jpn), Simon Griffiths (Eng)
69 Siddikur (Ban), Himmat Rai (Ind), Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha), Kwanchai Tannin (Tha), Pattaraphol Khathacha(Tha).
