Kuantan (Pahang): Reigning national junior champion Low Khai Jei was among four players tied for the lead after the opening round of the 111th Malaysian Amateur Open on Thursday.

The 16-year old traded four birdies against a bogey for a three-under 68  to get his campaign underway at Royal Pahang Golf Club. His effort was matched by Australians  Kevin Marques and Taylor MacDonald as well as Nicklaus Chiam of Singapore.

Sabahan duo Albright Chong and Solomon Emilio Rosidin were a shot back alongside last year’s runner-up Poom Saksansin of Thailand after posting rounds of two-under 69. Four others  – Thailand’s Chanachok Dejpiratanamongkol, Christopher Robert Brow of Australia, Singaporean Edgar Oh and local Thaznim Hamdan were bunched up on the back of one-under 70s.

“I am happy with my game today and I hope I can maintain my game plan for the rest of the tournament. It would be awesome to win my national amateur Open,” said Khai Jei, who arrives on the back of winning the North Malaysian and Kuala Lumpur Amateur Opens respectively.

Leading first round scores (Malaysians unless indicated)
68 – Kevin Marques (AUS), Low Khai Jei, Taylor Macdonald (AUS), Nicklaus Chiam (SIN)
69 – Poom Saksansin (THA), Solomon Emilio Rosidin, Albright Chong
70 – Edgar Oh (SIN),Chanachok Dejpiratanamongkol (THA), Christopher Robert Brow (AUS), Thaznim Hamdan
71 – Manav Das (IND), Marc Ong (SIN), Abel Tam, Abdul Hadi (SIN), Nick Ang Xia Ee, Chieh-Po Lee (TPE), Amir Nazrin Jailani, Ervin Chang