INCHEON, Sep 7: India’s Viraj Madappa, who has had a patchy season, opened with a solid three-under 69 to lie tied 26th on a low-scoring day at the Shinhan Donghae Open golf here on Thursday.
Spain’s young star David Puig fired an eight-under-par 64 to take the lead on the opening day despite arriving only on Tuesday night from Spain, for his first-ever visit to Korea.
The other Indians had a modest start as Veer Ahlawat hauled himself up from 1-over after 14 holes to 2-under 70 with three birdies in last four holes and he was lying tied 46, while Ajeetesh Sandhu (72) was lying T-94. Madappa had five birdies against two bogeys, while Ahlawat had four birdies against two bogeys.
Leader Puig tamed the Ocean Course at Club72, near Incheon airport, making eight birdies – including six on the front side for a six-under-par 30. Australian Anthony Quayle and Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai came in with 65s, while Zimbabwean Kieran Vincent, Korea’s Ok Taehoon, and Ryutaro Nagano and Ryuko Tokimatsu from Japan carded 66s on a hot and humid day in the Asian Tour’s 14th event of the season.
Puig has been superb since joining the Asian Tour last year, soon after turning professional. He has regularly been in contention, finishing in the top-15 five times in just eight starts, including a third-place finish in the International Series Morocco last year.
Other performances of note are American Seungsu Han (68), winner of this year’s Kolon Korea Open, Korean Kim Bio (68), who won the LX Championship on the Korean PGA Tour last week, and Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho (69). Filipino Miguel Tabuena, in second place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, also shot 69. Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa, the winner of 18 titles in Japan, returned a 71. (PTI)
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