Nilai [NEGERI SEMBILAN]: Ben Leong carded an impressive bogey-free 66 to get off to a good start at the inaugural Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) – Indonesia Golf Tour (IGT) Championship on Thursday.

The six-under-par effort gave Leong a one-shot cushion over compatriot Kemarol Baharin at the newly opened Kota Seriemas Golf & Country Club with Danny Chia a further two shots back in third place with an opening 68.

There was a four-way tie for fourth with runaway Order of Merit leader Nicholas Fung’s two-under 70 being matched by Indonesian trio of Daniel J. Masrin, Sarmilih and Hendry Nasim in the RM250,000 tournament.

Leong said he was happy with the way he played, coming just weeks after he claimed his second PGM Tour title at the Orna Championship.

“I’m not focused on winning,” pointed out Leong. It’s more about me focusing on doing the simple things right. I need to stay focused on driving the ball well, hitting the iron shots well, keeping my short-game in tune, putting well and so on. If I do these things and others correctly, then I’m sure it will all come together in the end.”

Turning to the course designed by none other than PGM Tour chairman Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid,  the Sabahan added: “It’s a really nice course. It’s new so it will need time to mature, but over and above that, it’s a really good design.”

Leading first round scores (Par-72) >
66 – Ben Leong
67 – Kemarol Baharin
68 – Danny Chia
70 – Daniel J Masrin (INA), Nicholas Fung, Sarmilih (INA), Hendry Nasim (INA)
71 – Asep Saepuloh (INA), Airil Rizman Zahari, Nachimuthu Ramasamy, Kenneth De Silva, Joshua Andrew Wirawan (INA), Rizal Amin, Kenneth Tobuse