KUALA LUMPUR: Danny Chia took advantage of favourable scoring conditions in the morning to lead with an opening five-under-par 67 at the US$650,000 Mercuries Taiwan Masters on Thursday.
Chia, who claimed his only Asian Tour win in Chinese Taipei 13 years ago, marked his card with two eagles and two birdies against a lone bogey to stay one shot ahead of playing partner Rashid Khan of India at the challenging Taiwan Golf and Country Club’s Tamsui course.
Talented Thai Phachara Khongwatmai, youngest player in the field at 16 years old, returned with a 69 to share third place with Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh in the storied event, which is celebrating its 29th edition this week.
Arnond Vongvanij, also of Thailand, registered a 70 to stay three shots off the pace in fifth place with China’s Liang Wen-chong while newly-turned professional Pan Cheng-tsung, who is playing on home soil for the first time in nine years, settled one shot back in tied-seventh place with five other players in the Asian Tour event.
Starting from the 10th hole, Chia opened with three straight pars before producing his first eagle of the day on the par-five 13th where he holed a two-footer after hitting his hybrid-second shot from 223 metres.
His second eagle of the day came on the par-five seventh where his seven-iron approach shot from 160 metres landed six-feet from the hole.
“This is not my first time getting two eagles in a round but it is the first time I did it on this course. I am very pleased with how I played. I have played a lot of times on this course and today’s playing condition has got to be one of the best so far,” said the 42-year-old Malaysian.
“Weather was the key for me today. I remember struggling with the gauging of wind directions in the past but it wasn’t the case today. Majority of the par-fives are downwind and I really had a good advantage to score,” added Chia.
Leading first round scores
67 – Danny Chia (MAS)
68 – Rashid Khan (IND)
69 – Phachara Khongwatmai (THA), Siddikur Rahman (BAN)
70 – Arnond Vongvanij (THA), Liang Wen-chong (CHN)
71 – Mithun Perera (SRI), Yeh Wei-tze (TPE), Chan Yih-shin (TPE), Boonchu Ruangkit (THA), Pariya Junhasavasdikul (THA), Pan Cheng-tsung (TPE)
72 – Phiphatphong Naewsuk (THA), Marcus Both (AUS), Chikka S (IND), Antonio Lascuna (PHI), Hsieh Chi-hsien (TPE), Hsieh Tung-hung (TPE)
