Kuala Lumpur: It was not smooth sailing on the domestic front at the Maybank Malaysian Open as the locals challenge got off to a quiet start at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club.
Ben Leong marked his first Asian Tour appearance in almost two years with a battling even-par 72 – an effort matched by Malaysian number one Nicholas Fung and Khor Kheng Hwai.
Iain Steel returned with a one-over 73 while national amateur Gavin Kyle Green, the leading Malaysian at last year’s edition, dropped three successive bogeys to finish his round with a two-over 74 effort alongside Arie Irawan, R. Nachimuthu and Shaaban Hussin.
Leong flirted with a one-under finish but three-putted the closing hole to keep his hopes of making the weekend rounds alive at the US$2.75 million national Open.
“I would take that any day. It wasn’t easy out there and I have not been in this [competitive] environment for quite a while now, so I’m pleased with the round and excited about tomorrow,” he said.
The 26-year-old Sabahan shot to fame when he claimed his sole Asian Tour title to-date at the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters in 2008 but has struggled with indifferent form since with a chronic back problem limiting the the number of tournaments he is able to play.
“I wouldn’t say that I am a 100% but I’m good enough to be out here. It was pretty nerve-wrecking to be honest and it sure wasn’t easy but I surprised myself with the how I handled it and I just need a few more rounds to sharpen my game,” added Leong.
The Malaysians as they fared (first round)
72 – Ben Leong, Nicholas Fung, Khor Kheng Hwai
73 – Iain Steel
74 – Arie Irawan, Gavin Kyle Green (a), R. Nachimuthu, Shaaban Hussin
75 – Kenneth De Silva
76 – Sukree Othman
77 – Wilson Choo
78 – Mohd Rizal Amin
79 – Kemarol Baharin, Shaifubari Muda
80 – S. Murthy, S. Sivachandhran
yet to complete – players will resume first round at 7:40am Friday
+3 Iylia Jamil (after 12 holes)
+4 Danny Chia (after 13 holes)
+4 Airil Rizman Zahari (after 13 holes)
+8 Ervin Chang (a) (after 13 holes)
+9 Mohd Wafiyuddin Abdul Manaf (a) (after 12 holes)
+11 Solomon Emilio Rosidin (a) (after 11 holes)
