Ipoh (Perak): Local favourite Low Khai Jei lies one shot off the lead after the opening round of the 112th Malaysian Amateur Open on Thursday.

The 18-year-old fired a battling even-par 72 to take a share of fourth alongside compatriot Solomon Emilio Rosidin,China’s Zhao Chen, Kevin Caesario Akbar of Indonesia, Singaporean Marc Ong and world number 45 Jarryd Felton of Australia.

Singapore’s Johnson Poh and Aussie duo Jake McLeod and Cory Crawford lead the field of 108 players with matching one-under efforts as participants struggled to tame the imposing Royal Perak Golf Club layout.

Reigning South East Asia (SEA) Games golf medallist Danthai Boonma and Hong Kong’s Shinichi Mizuno sit a further two shots adrift on one-over 73 in a jam-packed leaderboard.

Low, the 2012 national junior champion, was pleased with his effort, despite dropping two bogeys on the back nine to even out his round.

“I’ll accept that as I was striking the ball but didn’t read the lines on some of my longer putts that well. I was not aggressive today because my target was just to stay in contention and give myself some room to charge over the weekend,” said the Malaysian number five, who is hoping to win the championship in his home state.

“I have enjoyed good results in the past on this golf course but it is a different challenge this week. The course is playing tough and the greens are really firm, which makes it a bit difficult to gauge the right distance to attack the pins,” noted Low, who will also headline the silver state’s challenge at the 17th Malaysian Games in Perlis next month.

Meanwhile, joint leader Poh was delighted to continue his hot form, which has saw him win back-to-back titles on home soil.

“I felt very confident coming into this tournament on the back of winning the Singapore Island Country Club (SICC) Invitational and Ranking Game. We managed to get some good practice rounds and I enjoyed a strong start this morning with two birdies in my first three holes,” noted Johnson, who traded six birdies with three bogeys and a double bogey on the 13th.

The 23-year-old Singaporean, who is just returning to competitive action after completing his compulsory two-year military service, is not about to raise his hopes on claiming a major win.

“I’m in a very good position but there’s much golf to be played. My coach told me to just put a number on the board today and built on the hard work that I’ve put in over the last few months,” he added.

Leading first round scores (Malaysian unless stated)
71 – Jake McLeod (AUS), Johnson Poh (SIN), Cory Crawford (AUS)
72 – Zhao Chen (CHN), Solomon Emilio Rosidin, Marc Ong (SIN), Kevin Caesario Akbar (INA), Jarryd Felton (AUS), Low Khai Jei
73 – Shinichi Mizuno (HKG), Danthai Boonma (THA)
74 – Simarjeet Singh (IND), Chan Tuck Soon, Muhd Afif Mohd Razif
75 – Gregory Foo (SIN), Victor Ng, Maung Maung Oo (MYN), Thomas Tan (SIN), Yu Han Chen (TPE), Muhd Naqiuddin Mohd Fuad, Lucius Toh (SIN), Justin Raphael Quiban (PHI)
76 – Vikram Rana (IND), Bryan Teoh Wiyang, Danial Hj Mohd Sidek, Choi Wanjun (KOR), Udayan Mane (IND), Aaerishna Shahsthy, Joeh Seik (KOR), Danial Durisic, Alvin Hiew, Mitchell Steel, Muhd Wafiyuddin Abdul Manaf, Daeng Abdul Rahman Abdul Aziz, Ervin Chang, Irfan Harraz
77 – Zul Hazami Norsabaruddin, Nasser Yacoob (BHR), Galven Kendall Green, Yuma Ohno (JPN), Lucas Yee, Chieh Po Lee (TPE)