KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17: Defending champion Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand carded an eight-under-par 64 to set the pace in the first round of the storm-hit Malaysian Open on Thursday.
Thongchai was three shots clear of five players - Swedes Niclas Fasth and Pelle Edberg, Australians Jarrod Moseley and Terry Pilkadaris and Italy's Emanuele Canonica - who all carded 67s.
Ireland's Padraig Harrington, at eight the highest world-ranked player in the field, bogeyed three of his last four holes after the two hour late afternoon stoppage to end with a 71.
Pilkadaris, a winner twice late last year on the Asian Tour, was the only player in the leading six who competed in the afternoon half of the draw which was disrupted by a storm.
When bad light stopped play a total of 45 players had still to complete their first round. Thongchai, 35, recorded an eagle and six birdies in a superb start to the co-sanctioned event.
A year ago Thongchai recorded his first European Tour victory with a sensational final round display that included a 16th hole ace and a last-hole birdie. Fasth continued his excellent early season form just four days after clinching the New Zealand Open.
The Swede dropped just one shot in his round of 67 that included an eagle at his fourth hole. He started his round from the 10th tee. Canonica did not drop a stroke in his round as he chased a first victory in 11 years on the European Tour.
Five other players, including Ireland's Paul McGinley, Denmark's Thomas Bjorn, England's Simon Dyson, Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez and Thailand's Prom Meesawat, were on four-under after rounds of 68.
Bjorn birdied his closing two holes while McGinley, despite some discomfort with his left leg, was pleased with his four-under-par round in his first outing this year on the European Tour.
Sweden's Joakim Back strom recorded the first hole-in-one of his career when he aced the 185-yard par three, 12th hole. Unfortunately there was no prize on offer for the 26-year-old who qualified for the Tour through last November's Tour School.
FIRST ROUND SCORES:
64 - Thongchai Jaidee
67 - Niclas Fasth, Emanuele Canonica, Jarrod Moseley, Pelle Edberg, Terry Pilkadaris
68 - Paul McGinley, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Simon Dyson, Prom Meesawat, Thomas Bjvrn
69 - Maarten Lafeber, Corey Harris, Richard Moir, Thaworn Wiratchant, Anders Hansen, Simon Yates, Francesco Molinari , Shaifubari Muda, Henrik Stenson, Stephen Scahill.
70 - Stuart Manley, Fredrik Henge, Peter Gustafsson, Liang Wen-Chong, Jyoti Randhawa, Mardan Mamat, Sxren Hansen, Lin Keng-chi, Terry Price, Hendrik Buhrmann, Sushi Ishigaki, Chung Joon, Prayad Marksaeng.
KRESGE, BOWDITCH SHARE LEAD
SYDNEY: Cliff Kresge of the United States and Australian Steven Bowditch shot matching rounds of five-under-par 67 to share the first round lead in the South Australian Open at Royal Adelaide on Thursday.
Bowditch, 21, collected seven birdies and two bogeys to continue a fine run of form that has included finishing third in the Australian Open and leading the New Zealand Open.
Kresge's mixed round included six birdies, an eagle and three bogeys. The 36-year-old lost his U.S. PGA Tour card last season but is trying to regain his place through the secondary tour, which includes the South Australian Open and next week's New Zealand PGA.
Greg Chalmers, the left-hander who won the 1998 Australian Open at the Royal Adelaide links, finished the opening day equal third with fellow Australian Craig Jones after signing for a 68. A further seven players, including seven Americans, were tied for fifth at three-under.
67 Cliff Kresge, Steven Bowditch
68 Greg Chalmers, Craig Jones
69 Joel Edwards, Peter Fowler, Jeff Freeman, Ryan Armour, Jeff Gove, Brad McIntosh), Brian Kortan, Scott Laycock, Keoke Cotner, Martin Doyle, Dan Olsen. -Agencies
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