BANGKOK, April 3: South Korea’s Ted Oh fired a seven-under-par 65 in near-perfect conditions to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the Thailand Open on Thursday.

Oh, who played in the U.S. Open as a 16-year-old qualifier in 1993, produced a blemish-free card to finish a stroke ahead of American Scott Taylor.

Local favourite Thongchai Jaidee, along with eight others, was a further shot back after shooting a five-under-par 67 at Krisada City Golf Hills on the outskirts of Bangkok. The 43-year-old Taylor reeled off eight birdies and two dropped shots to move into early contention.

Former soldier Thongchai, who clinched the 2001 Asian order of merit, was frustrated after bogeying two of the par-fives to finish two strokes off the lead.

Leading scores

65 Ted Oh (South Korea)

66 Scott Taylor (U.S.)

67 Brad Kennedy (Australia), Edward Loar (U.S.), Surrawin Suwannodom, Thongchai Jaidee, Anthony Kang (South Korea), Nico van Rensburg (South Africa), Adam Groom (Australia), Aung Win (Myanmar), Ahmad Bateman (U.S.).—Reuters