Leader Taeheen Ok (left) and India’s Shiv Kapur. Pic: Paul Lakatos / Asian Tour
Sentosa, Singapore, January 20: Shiv Kapur and Viraj Madappa were the only Indians to shoot par, even as others were over or yet to complete the first round of the Singapore Open at the Sentosa Golf Club.
Kapur and Madappa were even par 71, while Rashid Khan (72), S Chikkarangappa (73) and Abhijit Chadha (76) were the others to finish their 18 holes. Veer Ahlawat was alone among others to be one-under through 12 holes while Aman Raj and Jyoti Randhawa were even after 14 and SSP Chawrasia, Khalin Joshi and Karandeep Kochhar were 2-over and Jeev Milkha Singh was 10-over through 15 holes.
Play was abandoned for the day at 5.51pm due to poor weather (lightning and rain), with 52 players due to resume their opening rounds at 7.30am on Friday.
Korean Taehoon Ok sensationally eagled the two par fives on the front nine of the tough Serapong Course to take the clubhouse lead along with Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai on the opening day of the US$1.25 million SMBC Singapore Open.
Ok and Suradit fired five-under-par 66s in the final event of the season on the Asian Tour to lead from Korean Sihwan Kim, Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, and Justin De Los Santos from the Philippines who returned 67s.
Koreans Joohyung Kim – the current leader of the Asian Tour Order of Merit and winner of last week’s The Singapore International – and Dongkyu Jang came in with 68s, in a group of players consisting of Thailand’s 14-year-old wonderkid Ratchanon Chantananuwat, Tirawat Kaewsiribandit, and Kosuke Hamamoto and Singapore’s Jesse Yap.
Little-known Ok hit a rescue to 20 feet for his eagle on the fourth and on the par-five seventh nailed a three wood to 15 feet and holed out. He also made three birdies, including one on 18, and two bogeys.
Paul Casey in his first event back after the end of season break returned a 76.
Indian scores after Day 1 of the Singapore Open at Sentosa Golf Club (Par 72)
71: Shiv Kapur, Viraj Madappa
72: Rashid Khan
73: Chikkarangappa
76: Abhijit Chadha
Others:
Veer Ahlawat -1 (12).
Aman Raj Even (14)
Jyoti Randhawa Even (14)
SSP Chawrasia +2 (11)
Khalin Joshi +2 (14)
Karandeep Kochhar +2 (16)
Jeev Milkha Singh +10 (15)
See also:
A dozen Indians gun for British Open spot at the Singapore Open
Kim Joohyung enjoys his success but has no time to rest
Asia’s Golden Trio, Zaw Moe, Jeev and Randhawa, with names on Singapore Open, and still going strong
