BMW Asian Open 2006 - Round 1: Henrik Stenson takes opening honours with 67

Swedish talent Henrik Stenson stole the limelight on the opening day when he fired a sparkling five-under-par 67 to take the lead in the US$1.8 million BMW Asian Open on Thursday.

The world number 15 opened up a one-stroke lead over Stephen Gallacher of Scotland and Frenchman Jean Van De Velde, who carded matching 68s, at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club.

Korea's Charlie Wi , currently second on the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit after his win at the May bank Malaysian Open , share fourth place alongside Danish star Thomas Bjorn, Scotland's Colin Montgomerie , Irishman Peter Lawrie , Australia's Marcus Fraser and Filipino veteran Frankie Minoza .

After sailing through the back nine with three birdies on the 11th , 13th and 16th holes, where he started his day from the 10th, Stenson steered ahead on the front nine with a fourth birdie on the second hole. The Swede stumbled on the par three third hole carding his only bogey of the day before closing with two more birdies on the fifth and eighth holes.

“I was happy with the front nine and struck a couple of bad shots on the back nine but overall I had one of the better rounds today than in the previous two tournaments I was involved in,” said Stenson .

The powerful Swede had a great spell at the start of the season when he emerged runner-up in the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in January, followed by a victorious run in The Commercialbank Qatar Masters a week later. He then finished seventh in the Dubai Desert Classic and was also third in The Players Championship in the US .

Stenson is optimistic that the tides have turned his way in the BMW Asian Open . "Hopefully I'm moving in the right direction and I will now have to go out and practice to keep it up tomorrow. The breeze picked up and the greens are in great condition, the sun is shining, I think these are all makings of a good score,” said Stenson , who is the highest ranked player in the co-sanctioned event.

“I'm just trying to focus on my game and I don't think if being the highest ranked player makes a difference or not. I am a mere one spot ahead of Colin ( Montgomerie ). It is definitely a different feeling if you are one of the top ranked players rather than if you're

slightly further down. I'm trying to have a good week and be in the hunt there on Sunday. I don't think I want to put any pressure on myself,” he said.

Gallacher launched himself to a good start with three birdies in a row on the 11 th , 12 th and 13 th holes. Two more consecutive birdies on the first and second holes sent him sailing though the course before a slightly nervy end to his round with a bogey on the fourth hole. “I started off well but then I got a bit scrappy on the inward nine,” said Gallacher . “I missed a few but I holed a few as well so I suppose it all evened itself out. I had a lot of chances but I found I wasn't really striking the putts well,” he said.

It was a similar momentum endured by Van De Velde who struck three birdies on the back nine. He birdied the second before stumbling on the eighth hole and shot his final birdie on the ninth hole. “I had a very good first nine which was from the tenth to the 18 th holes. It got a bit rocky on my inward nine but I kept it together, managed to make a few up and downs, made a silly bogey on the eighth but manage to birdie the ninth,” he said.

As for Filipino Minoza , a multiple winner in Asia , he will be taking a cautious approach in the second round after a shooting six birdies and three bogeys for his impressive start.

“The winds were alright and overall I am satisfied with my result but tomorrow is another day and we'll see how it goes as anything can hap pen with the conditions here,” said Minoza .

Montgomerie meanwhile enjoyed a bogey free run on the back nine with birdies on the 11 th and 16 th holes. Two more birdies on the second and seventh holes provided him an opportunity to strike for the lead but the UBS Hong Kong O pen champion stumbled on the closing ninth hole with a bogey. “I meant to take the lead and then I messed it up which is very disappointing,” said the Scotsman.

The highest ranked local player was Liang Wen- chong , who fired a 70. “I am satisfied with everything, my drives, putts and chips and hope to deliver a similar performance when I come out in the second round,” said Liang . “In golf you have your ups and downs but hopefully things will work out well here."

India 's Shiv Kapur , last season's Volvo Masters of Asia champion, was in tied 18 th position after a 71 while Thai sensation Thongchai Jaidee was even-par in shared 35 th position. India 's Jeev Milkha Singh, who won in Beijing last week, also carded a 72 while last year's Asian TourOrder of Merit winner Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand was one over par.

Meanwhile, BMW China Junior Golf Team member Ye Jian-feng , 14, finished with a 75 while Hu Mu returned a 77.

April 20, 2006