Leaner Ervin game for MAO charge

Ervin Chang ©Mike Casper|The ClubHouse

Rawang [SELANGOR]: He may have lost 20 pounds over the last two months but it has only seemed to whet Ervin Chang’s appetite for battle.

The national amateur began his campaign at the 114th Malaysian Amateur Open presented by Vascory AG & ICE Mobile on a positive note, firing an opening round of two-under 70 to trail Naraajie Emerald Ramadhanputra of Indonesia by one stroke on Thursday.

Having just returned from an enforced golfing break golf to focus on his SAT examinations, Chang traded a birdie and bogey apiece for an outward nine 36.

He found his rhythm on the back nine, securing birdies on 13th and 15th to put himself in contention at Templer Park Country Club.

“I felt very comfortable from the start and made some good pars early on to keep myself going. Managed a good birdie on the seventh but got into some sandy trouble on the eighth to drop a shot.

“Just stayed calm and sank two birdies from within six feet to regain my momentum. Overall, very pleased with my effort today and hopefully, my short game holds up,” said the 18-year-old.

Chang admits that his training regime off the course has helped improve his stamina, especially in negotiating Templer Park’s tough, undulating back nine.

“The real positive is that I didn’t feel tired at all today. Swinging the ball with a lot of confidence and hopefully, enough endurance in the tank to last till Sunday,” smiled the 2014 Malaysian Amateur Closed champion, whose best finish this year was T9 at the Kuala Lumpur Amateur Open in April.

Meanwhile, 16-year-old Naraajie, carded three birdies in a homeward nine of 33 to take the lead at the championship.

Chinese Taipei’s Chi Huang and Filipino Ruperto Zaragosa III returned with matching 71s to share third place with a further ten players including Malaysia’s Mohamad Firdaus Sabri a shot back on level-par.

A total of 129 players from 18 countries are participating in the championship.

Leading first round scores (Par-72) >
Malaysians unless stated
69 – Naarajie Emerald Ramadhanputra (INA)
70 – ERVIN CHANG
71 – Chi Huang (TPE), Ruperto Zaragosa III (PHI)
72 – Joshua Shou (SIN), MOHD FIRDAUS SABRI, Ira Christian Alido (PHI), Witchayanon Chothirunrungrueng (THA), Lachlan Barker (AUS), Yuan-Wei Lin (TPE), Yu-Wei Chan (TPE), Andrew Schonewille (AUS), Kevin Caesario Akhbar (INA), Abdul Hadi Uda Thith (SIN)
73 – Tirto Tamardi (INA), Josh Armstrong (AUS), Leon Philip D’Souza (HKG), AMIR NAZRIN JAILANI, DANIAL DURISIC, Tyler Wooster (AUS), CHAN TUCK SOON