2006 Barclays Singapore Open - Round 1: Pagusan and Strange in the lead

Filipino rookie Juvic Pagunsan and Scott Strange of Australia shared the opening day's honours at the US$3 million Barclays Singapore Open as they put superstars Adam Scott and Ernie Els in the shade on Thursday.

The leading duo carded matching four-under-par 67s in steamy conditions at the notorious par-71 Sentosa Golf Club's Serapong course, with India's Jyoti Randhawa, the 2002 Asian Tour number one, lying a stroke back after a 68.

In the full-field Asian Tour event billed the Major of Asia, South African amateur Christopher Joseph, a qualifier, provided the fairytale story with a sparkling 69 which included an eagle for a share of fourth place with Japanese number one Shingo Katayama, straight-hitting Australian Nick O'Hern, Argentine Angel Cabrera and Singapore-based Australian Scott Barr.

The Barclays Singapore Open star attractions, last year's champion Scott and three-time Major winner Els began their campaigns with a 70 and 71 respectively on a day which produced only 17 scores in red figures.

The 28-year-old Pagunsan, playing in his rookie professional season on the Asian Tour, was the only player in the star-studded field who enjoyed a bogey-free round, an outstanding effort for the slightly built Filipino who made the wise decision of leaving his driver in his hotel room in an effort to stay clear of the shin-high rough.

He produced an outstanding par save on the last hole, blasting out a 30-yard bunker shot to eight feet and draining the putt for a blemish-free card. "I only missed two fairways, on the first and last hole. I'm surprised to be leading as there are so many top players in the field. But my confidence has been up as I've been playing well and I had a top-10 at the Brunei Open two weeks ago.

"I left my driver in the hotel room and used my three wood on most of the holes. The course is so difficult and I've got more confidence with my three wood and I'll probably stick with this plan," said Pagunsan, who was a top amateur player in the region.

With butterflies in his stomach on the first tee, Pagunsan sent his five wood tee shot into the rough on his opening hole but fired an eight iron to three feet for a birdie which settled his nerves.

A two-putt birdie on the par five fourth saw him turn in two under before he knocked in putts of 12 feet on 11 and 13 for his superb start. "It's nice to be leading amongst the stars and I'll take it one shot at a time. It was really good to save par at the last. I hit one of the best shots of the day from out of the bunker," said the Filipino.

Strange, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, hopes his girlfriend Lucinda Jay Smith will prove to be the lucky charm at the Barclays Singapore Open. He nearly did not tee up this week due to a back injury but he shrugged it off with a six-birdie round.

"I am normally pretty straight off the tee. Anyone who hits it straight is a contender this week. Length is not exactly a factor around here," said Strange, who won the Philippine Open in May. "I did not feel that great when I woke up this morning but I am better now. Couple of minor things in my body the physiotherapist and I have been going through to try and fix it up," said Strange.

World number six Scott, searching for his first title of the season, enjoyed a strong finish in front of a large gallery. "Two birdies in the last three holes was a good way to finish," said Scott, who also opened his campaign last year with a 70.

''I knew if I could hit the fairway I would have a good chance. I know what I am doing wrong at least - I have fixed that up. Hitting a nice shot into 16 and having a tap in (for birdie) and getting a driver on the fairway on the last hole (par five) meant I could get up to the green. I'm very happy with that. One under is not a bad score out there."

After arriving in the Lion City on the eve of Asia's richest national Open, the talented Scott shrugged off any effects of jetlag but struggled to cope with the heat and humidity. "I was not too tired at all. I had a good night’s sleep. It is very hot and humid. Five and a bit hours out there sweating away, wears on you a bit.

"It is important to keep the fluids up. You just have to try and keep concentrating.
The heat affects guys who come in from other tours. I noticed Thaworn Wiratchant’s caddy did not even sweat," said Scott, who triumphed last year by seven strokes.

The globe-trotting Els, also bidding to end a title drought this year, opened with a birdie but carded a double bogey and a bogey at his next two holes. But with his silky smooth swing, the "Big Easy" started to find his mark with birdies on the fourth, sixth and 17th holes against another bogey on the 13th.

"It wasn’t a great start so I had to try and get things going from there. I got it back a bit and was even par through nine holes. I hit a lot of quality shots on the back nine but could not buy a putt. It was very frustrating. I hit a lot of fairways and greens but never got anything out of it. I have got to be pleased after my start to shoot even par," said Els.

"It’s the first round and you don’t win a golf tournament on the first day. I just need to get into position by hitting quality shots. The first days and the last days are very important."

India's Jeev Milkha Singh, the current top-ranked player in Asia, carded a 71 while 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand opened with a 72. England's Ryder Cup star Lee Westwood scrambled to a 73.

Leading first round scores
67 - Scott Strange (AUS), Juvic Pagunsan (PHI)
68 - Jyoti Randhawa (IND)
69 - Angel Cabrera (ARG), Scott Barr (AUS), Shingo Katayama (JPN), Christopher Joseph [A] (RSA), Nick O'Hern (AUS)
70 - Shiv Kapur (IND), Angelo Que (PHI), Henry Perks (AUS), Gerald Rosales (PHI), Adam Scott (AUS), Iain Steel (MAS), Charl Schwartzel (RSA), Anthony Kang (USA), Marcus Both (AUS)
71 - Sung Mao-chang (TPE), Park Jun-won (KOR), Lin Keng-chi (TPE), Chapchai Nirat (THA), Brad Kennedy (AUS), Bryan Saltus (USA), P. Gunasegaran (MAS), Jeev Milkha Singh (IND), Ernie Els (RSA), Simon Hurd (ENG), Chawalit Plaphol (THA), Jason Dawes (AUS), Danny Chia (MAS), Rashid Ismail (MAS)
72 - Michael Campbell (NZL), Prom Meesawat (THA), Adam Groom (AUS), Lin Wen-tang (TPE), Unho Park (AUS), Lee Sung (KOR), Gerry Norquist (USA), Adam Blyth (AUS), Kenny Druce (AUS), Thongchai Jaidee (THA), Mardan Mamat (SIN), Suk Jong-yul (KOR), Richard Moir (AUS), Simon Nash (AUS), S.S.P. Chowrasia (IND)
73 - Liang Wen-chong (CHN), Lee Westwood (ENG), Frankie Minoza (PHI), Edward Loar (USA), Lam Chih Bing (SIN), Harmeet Kahlon (IND), Gurbaaz Mann (IND), Garth Mulroy (RSA), Airil Rizman Zahari (MAS), Thaworn Wiratchant (THA), Tim Clark (RSA), Vincent Khua [A] (SIN), Keith Horne (RSA), Gary Simpson (AUS), Anton Haig (RSA), Yeh Chang-ting (TPE), Chan Song (KOR)

September 7 , 2006

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