3:26:23 PM | 7/8/2005
Summers Outshines Thongchai, Pavin to Lead Carlsberg Masters 2004 Vietnam
The Australian, battling to keep his card on the Asian Tour, established a course record of six-under-par 66 at the newly-opened Chi Linh Star Golf and Country Club to head the field by one stroke.
Thongchai, the current Asian number one, was cruising at four-under through the front nine but settled for a 70 while former US Open champion Pavin endured a frustrating day on the tricky greens for a 71. Scott Barr made it a day for the Aussies with a blemish free 67 for second place, followed by Thaworn Wiratchant of
The 35-year-old Summers, currently 75th on the Order of Merit, finished tied fifth and equal 11th in his last two starts on the Asian Tour to give himself a shot at keeping his playing privileges for next season. Starting from the 10th, he got off the blocks quickly. "I started great. I actually hit it awful in the first few holes but hit some amazing recovery shots to four feet and 18 inches for the early birdies on 11 and 12. It was the springboard to my round. I have made some really good starts in my last few events and I'm always learning. I led after the first round of the Mercuries Taiwan Masters and finished with a disappointing result (tied 55th) but it was a good learning week," said Summers.
After the early birdies, he eagled the 18th after crunching a four iron to four feet of the flag. Three more birdies against a lone bogey saw him finish the day atop the leaderboard.
Thongchai, playing with Pavin, fired on all cylinders on the front nine, turning in 32 with birdies on the third, fourth, sixth and eighth holes. But as the crowds swelled, the Thai's concentration wavered as he suffered a bogey on 13 and then running up a double bogey six on the 16th hole after finding the watery grave with his approach. He birdied the last hole.
"I played really good on the front nine and hit some nice shots. But on the back nine, my concentration was not good. There were a few mobile phones ringing on the course but you must expect this as golf is very new to the Vietnamese people. They will get learn and will get better. But all in all, I'm happy with my start," said Thongchai, winner of the Myanmar Open and Carlsberg Malaysian Open this season.
With wife Lisa totting the bag, the Carlsberg Masters Vietnam's top draw Pavin failed to buy a putt as he hit 17 pars and just one birdie on the fifth hole. "I just didn't make many putts. I hit a lot of good ones but that's how it goes sometimes. Conditions were perfect for scoring. I'm not used to playing on
"It was a little hot for Lisa, but we had fun. It's great that people were coming out to watch and that they are interested in the game. It's a new sport here and it'll be good if it keeps going. It's encouraging to see that," said Pavin.
Australian Barr, who finished second behind Colin Montgomerie in last year's Macau Open, was delighted with his start. Solid iron play left him with easy birdie putts, with the longest being a 15-footer on the 17the hole. "I played solid and didn't make a bogey. It just seemed like I wasn't making that many putts. I missed about four or five that ran across the lip," said Barr.
Thaworn, who has one of the most unorthodox swings in the game, bounced back from last week's missed cut in the Sanya Open in China, shooting six birdies against two bogeys. He said the key to his round was staying out of the thick rough, especially around the greens. "If you find the rough here, chances are you'll drop a bogey," said the Thai, winner of this year's Mercuries Masters. "After missing last week's cut, I just went home to practice hard."
A group of seven players - David Gleeson, Somkiat Srinsanga, Lin Wen-ko, Chang Tse-peng, Jerome Delariarte, Olle Nordberg and Morne Van Rensburg - are joint fifth, three off the pace. Thrinh Van Tho and Nguyen Thai Duong were the best of the seven Vietnamese amateurs in the 112-man field, shooting 10-over-par 82s.
Leading first round scores
66 - Anthony Summers (AUS)
67 - Scott Barr (AUS)
68 - Thaworn Wiratchant (THA), Jason Dawes (AUS)
69 - Morne Janse Van Rensburg (RSA), Olle Nordberg (SWE), Chang Tse-peng (TPE), Jerome Delariarte (PHI), Lin Wen-ko (TPE), David Gleeson (AUS), Somkiat Srisanga (THA)
70 - Angelo Que (PHI), Alistair Presnell (AUS), Li Chao (CHN), Thongchai Jaidee (THA), Boonchu Ruangkit (THA), Rahil Gangjee (IND), Rick Gibson (CAN), Huang Tung-liang (TPE), Choi Gwang-Soo (KOR)
71 - Kasper Jorgensen (DEN), Lam Chih Bing (SIN), Corey Pavin (USA), Nico Van Rensburg (RSA), Ashok Kumar (IND), Craig Kamps (RSA), Atthaphon Prathummanee (THA)
72 - Anthony Kang (USA), Kyi Hla Han (MYN), Chris Williams (RSA), Arjun Singh (IND), Ewan Porter (AUS), Pornsakon Tipsanit (THA), Stephen Lindskog (SWE)
About the Carlsberg masters 2004 Vietnam
The inaugural Carlsberg Masters 2004
Vietnamese
