Singapore, Mar 21 (PTI) India’s Shubhankar Sharma overcame an early double bogey to card 4-under 68 and was placed tied 21 on a tight leader board after the first round of the Singapore Classic here on Thursday.
Shubhankar, who is preparing for his home event — next week’s Indian Open — started from the tenth and double bogeyed the 11th hole.
Back-to-back birdies on next two holes repaired that damage but he again dropped a shot on 16th before picking two more birdies in succession to turn in 1-under and made it a hat-trick of birdies with another one on the first.
Two more gains on the third and fourth and yet another one on eighth saw him rise to 5-under. Just as he was cruising he bogeyed the closing ninth for a 68, which had a total of eight birdies, two bogeys and one double.
Kiradech Aphibarnrat started the DP World Tour’s Asian Swing in brilliant fashion as an eight under par round of 64 earned him a share of the first round lead.
The 34-year-old mixed a single bogey with nine birdies to set the target – and the course record – before being joined by Malaysian Gavin Green and England’s Jordan Smith on eight under par after the opening day at Laguna National Golf Resort Club.
The DP World Tour’s Asian Swing, consisting of five events on the Asian continent, begins this week and continues with Hero Indian Open.
Four-time winner Aphibarnrat made the perfect start to proceedings in Singapore. He was level par through three holes after cancelling out an opening birdie with a dropped shot at the third, before gains at the fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth saw him make the turn in 31.
Four further gains followed on the back nine, picking up shots at the 12th, 13th and 15th, with a final red number being added on the 18th for his lowest round since the 2022 Portugal Masters.
The lead was quickly shared with Englishman Smith, who pulled alongside the 2023 Qualifying School graduate in the very next group after posting a bogey-free eight under par effort.
Malaysia’s Green made the most of being close to home by posting the best effort of the afternoon wave. The 30-year-old dropped just a single shot on a hot day at Laguna National, with his younger brother walking the fairways with him in support.
The leading trio share a one-stroke advantage from Frenchman Ugo Coussaud, who continued his impressive run of form with a seven under round of 65. The DP World Tour rookie was nine under after 13 holes, but a dropped shot at his 14th and a double bogey to finish meant he had to settle for second after 18 holes.
Four players share fifth on six under, including Scotland’s Grant Forrest, Englishman Richard Mansell, Andrea Pavan of Italy, and Germany’s Freddy Schott. PTI Cor AH AH
About the Author
