2007 BMW Asian Open - Round 1: Jacquelin makes the early running as Els toils

Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin blazed into the first round lead in the BMW Asian Open on Thursday with a six-under-par 66 as tournament drawcard Ernie Els battled to a 71.

Jacquelin extended his rich vein of form at Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club and leads by one stroke from Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark. Korea's Lee Sung, who was born deaf, produced a fine 68 to lie in a share of third place with Asian Tour regular Gavin Flint of Australia and Gregory Havret of France.

Chinese Taipei's Lin Wen-hong, playing on an invitation from the club, sparkled with a 69 to tie eight-time European number one Colin Montgomerie of Scotland and Australia's Scott Hend.

World number five Els, winner of the BMW Asian Open in 2005 by a record 13 strokes, struggled on the greens with a couple of three-putt bogeys after the turn but was delighted with his opening day's effort, just over 24 hours after arriving in Shanghai.

"I played good enough," said Els, who finished second in the weather-delayed Verizon Heritage on the US Tour which concluded on Monday. "I three putted the 10th and 11th but really played quite nicely. Misread a few putts," added the Big Easy.

With winds swirling around the challenging Tomson course, the three-time Major champion began his day well aware that Jacquelin had posted an impressive number in the morning. "I saw the boards but it is the first round. I just didn't want to shoot myself out of it. I had some chances, I could have been three under easily," said Els, who is chasing his first win of the year.

Jacquelin, second in Portugal three weeks ago, led last week at nearby Shanghai Silport Golf Club at the halfway stage before falling away at the weekend but was back to his best on a breezy opening day. Seven birdies with just the one dropped shot put him in position for a second career title at the BMW Asian Open, co-sanctioned by the European Tour, Asian Tour and China Golf Association.

"I'm doing pretty well at the moment," said Jacquelin, whose sole victory to date came at the 2005 Open de Madrid. "I played well in Portugal and finished second and last week I did well the first two rounds but it was a bit more difficult over the weekend. But the way I hit the ball and the way I made a few putts were pretty good. The winds were getting stronger later in the day and I'm happy to shoot six under.

"It's always good to shoot low in the first round and relax a bit and take the pressure off me. I'm going to play exactly the same tomorrow and take the same feelings that I've had over the last month and we'll see."

Flint, playing in his second season on the Asian Tour, got off to a spectacular start, holing a sand-wedge from 110 yards on the par five second hole for an improbable eagle. But it was his putting which was the key as he negotiated the 7,326-yard course in a mere 20 putts. "It's definitely exciting to get out there and having a good round straight away. Getting out early I got the best of the conditions," said Flint, who birdied the other three par fives on the course.

It was a welcome change in fortunes as Flint missed his last five cuts on the Asian Tour after two top-20s early in the season. A great admirer of Fijian Vijay Singh for his work etiquettes, Flint is also a hard worker but he does not believe in pounding balls at the range.

"I think the harder you work, the better your results are going to be. I try to work pretty hard on my game. The standard is so high now on the Asian Tour that you have to practice really hard. I pretty much try to play as much golf as I can. However, I prefer to do my practice on the golf course," said Flint, who is 57th on the UBS Order of Merit.

Lee, who was born deaf and communicates through lip-reading with his father Kang-kun, played some stunning approach shots, with four of his five birdies coming from within 10 feet and the other a chip-in on the par three eighth hole.

"I hit my driver and approach shots good," said Lee. "My putting was pretty average. I only missed one fairway which helps in the round. It was windy but I am comfortable playing in the wind. I've practiced a lot in the Philippines and America in windy conditions so it's okay. I'm very happy with my start. I try to hit the best shot every time and when you're finished in the round, you normally get a good score."

Montgomerie was one of the few players not to drop a shot on a morning of swirling winds and the big Scot, an eight-time European number one, was quite content with his steady start. "Not much to talk about with no bogeys," said Montgomerie. "That's great. That's what I have always prided myself on over the years, no bogeys. Three birdies isn't that many but it is very difficult out there. Very windy and the greens are firm and the pins are in difficult positions."

World Number Eight Retief Goosen made a solid start, reaching the turn in two under par, but struggled with to find his range on the greens coming home to lie at 71. England's Paul Casey, whose luggage has yet to arrive in Shanghai from America, carded a 72 with one bogey against a birdie.

China's best player was Liang Wen-chong and Li Chao, who carded matching 72s

Leading first round scores (click here for the full leaderboard)

66 - Raphael Jacquelin (FRA)

67 - Soren Kjeldsen (DEN)

68 - Gavin Flint (AUS), Gregory Havret (FRA), Lee Sung (KOR)

69 - Scott Hend (AUS), Colin Montgomerie (SCO), Park Jun-won (KOR), Tony Carolan (AUS), Peter Hanson (SWE), Lin Wen-hong (TPE)

70 - Edward Loar (USA), Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP), Simon Dyson (ENG), Damien Mcgrane (IRL), Richard Sterne (RSA), Joakim Backstrom (SWE)

71 - Mark Pilkington (WAL), Jean-Francois Lucquin (FRA), Retief Goosen (RSA), Markus Brier (AUT), Kane Webber (AUS), Christian Cevaer (FRA), Suk Jong-yul (KOR), Anthony Kang (USA), Garry Houston (WAL), Soren Hansen (DEN), Ernie Els (RSA), Adam Blyth (AUS), Marcus Both (AUS), Christian Nilsson (SWE), Scott Barr (AUS)

72 - Li Chao (CHN), Prayad Marksaeng (THA), Ricardo Gonzalez (ARG), Jose-Filipe Lima (POR), Simon Wakefield (ENG), Marcel Siem (GER), Liang Wen-chong (CHN), Andrew Mclardy (RSA), Adam Le Vesconte (AUS), Gary Rusnak (USA), Marcus Higley (ENG), Paul Casey (ENG), Thaworn Wiratchant (THA), Mardan Mamat (SIN), Stephen Gallacher (SCO), Sven Struver (GER), Shaun Webster (ENG)

April 19, 2007

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