Pengkalan Chepa: Kemarol Baharin continued his recent run of good form by topping the leaderboard after the opening round of the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Kelantan Championship at Kelantan Golf & Country Club on Wednesday.

The current Order of Merit leader, who won the season-opener Tournament of Champions at Templer Park Country Club, shot a five-under 65 to finish one stroke clear of Mohamad Azman Basharuddin and Mohamad Rizal Amin.

Wilson Choo, Kenneth De Silva, Shaaban Hussin and Lam Yu Shuen were as stroke back in joint fourth while Nicholas Fung and R. Nachimuthu stayed in touch of the lead alongside Rashid Ismail, A. Sasar and Dinata Abdillah with matching 70s.

Kemarol, who won the event in 2011, returned with a card comprising of an eagle, six birdies and three bogeys, to take an early advantage in RM160,000 event.

“I am happy with the start, although it could have been better,” said Kemarol. “But I will just try to do everything the same again tomorrow and hopefully by the end of the tournament it all comes together.”

Leading first round scores
67 – Kemarol Baharin
68 – Mohd Azman Basharuddin, Mohd Rizal Amin
69 – Wilson Choo, Kenneth De Silva, Shaaban Hussin, Lam Yu Shuen
70 – R. Nachimuthu, Nicholas Fung, Rashid Ismail, Dino Abdillah, A. Sasar
71 – S. Murthy, Ketnneth Tobuse, P. Gunasagaran, Hans Jamil, Airil Rizman, Mohd Nazri Mohd Zain