2007 Motorola International Bintan - Round 1: Cunning and Brown lead with 66s

American veteran Mike Cunning and New Zealand's Mark Brown established a new course record of six-under-par 66 to lead the first round of the US$350,000 Motorola International Bintan on Thursday.

The inaugural US$350,000 Asian Tour event enjoyed a spectacular launch at the picturesque Ria Bintan Golf Club as Malaysia's P. Gunasegaran and England's Yasin Ali produced hole-in-ones en route to a 68 and 69 respectively.

Thailand's newcomer Kwanchai Tannin also delivered the fireworks with eight birdies for a 67 to share third place with Korean duo Ted Oh and Han Lee. Another Korean Park Jun-won, American Clay Devers, Australian Peter Fowler, Canadian Rick Gibson and Chinese Taipei's Lin Keng-chi, Asia's number one in 1995, are tied sixth on 68.

A one-hour 10 minute suspension due to lightning in the afternoon meant that 27 players failed to complete their opening rounds. They will resume play at 6.35am on Friday.

Ten years after winning Asia's Order of Merit, Cunning is preparing for a career on the Seniors Tour as he will turn 49 in July. But he showed glimpses of his best form with a glorious start in the Motorola International Bintan

"I've re-dedicated myself to the game. Last year wasn't very fun (when he missed 11 cuts from 15 tournaments). I wasn't concentrating and wasn't enjoying the golf that I was playing. If you're not enjoying what you're doing, it's always going to be a struggle," said Cunning, who has one victory and 27 top-10s on the Asian Tour.

Starting from the 10th, Cunning got off to a flying start with two birdies before snaring a tap-in eagle on the par five16th, set up by sensational three wood approach. Four more birdies against two bogeys, including a dropped shot at the last with a three putt, saw him end the day atop the leaderboard with Brown.

Cunning missed his last two cuts in China and Singapore but found inspiration from his tied 23rd finish in the Enjoy Jakarta Astro Indonesia Open last month. "The juices were flowing in Indonesia. The last two courses didn't really favour me, but I like Ria Bintan, let's see what happens this week," said the American, who has been playing in Asia since 1981.

Brown, a rookie on the Asian Tour, was first to set a new course mark, bettering the previous record of 68 held by Singapore's Mardan Mamat, and his smile was even wider after he received a Motorola phone as a gift from the title sponsors.

"Very nice of Motorola for sure. It was good. I got out early on in the second group. Once you actually wake up after a 4.15 start, it was perfect. There was no wind and the greens were perfect. It was nice to have an early start."

A bogey on the sixth hole woke Brown from his slumber. He chipped in for eagle on the seventh, and then birdied three of his next four holes. A sixth place finish in last month's New Zealand PGA Championship has given Brown added confidence to challenge for the Motorola International Bintan title.

Kwanchai said the recent success of his fellows Thais on the Asian Tour, the most recent being Chapchai Nirat's victory in the TCL Classic last week, has been a boost for aspiring players like himself. With 10 amateur titles including the 2005 Hong Kong Amateur Championship under his belt, much can also be expected from the Thai rookie.

"I've not reached their level yet but it encourages us to work harder and aim for wins as well," said Kwanchai, who turned professional last year and is playing in only his fourth Asian Tour tournament. "I played solid today, took only 28 putts. The level of play is high in Asia. You've got to shoot low scores just to make the cut," he added.

The 43-year-old Gunasegaran, best remembered for nearly becoming Malaysia's first winner of its national Open in 1994 when he lost in a play-off, produced some vintage golf and was delighted to sink the golden ace at the signature par three 151-yard 18th hole, which has its green nestled on the beachfront.

"I hit an eight iron that spun back into the hole. That was really nice as it's such a tricky hole. It's my first ace on the Asian Tour but fourth in my career," said Gunasegaran.

The Malaysian believes he is capable of pulling off a victory at the Motorola International Bintan. "I still feel competitive. I want to get into the co-sanctioned events in Asia and the only way is to win here. It's not easy these days as the young boys are hitting it 20 to 30 yards past me," he said.

After missing four cuts out of five tournament this season, Oh, rookie of the year in 2001, saw light at the end of his tunnel with a six-birdie round. He changed his swing coach in December, and is slowly trusting his new game. "I was taking the backswing inside and then crossing the line but my coach Don Brown wants me to take it straight on plane. It's just two inches of change but it is so hard. In Sanya, I missed the cut but I was swinging it really well. I had confidence coming into this event and I knew it would start showing up sooner or later," said Oh, who three putted his last hole to match the course record.

Last week's winner Chapchai Nirat of Thailand, currently third on the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit, bounced back from a sluggish outward nine to shoot a 69, romping home in 32 while Peter Senior of Australia, a winner of 26 international titles, carded a 72.

The Motorola International Bintan, promoted by Global Premier Sports and is a full field Asian Tour event, also features 10 invited players each from the Japan Golf Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia.

Leading first round scores:

66 - Mark Brown (NZL), Mike Cunning (USA)

67 - Kwanchai Tannin (THA), Han Lee (KOR), Ted Oh (KOR)

68 - Rick Gibson (CAN), Lin Keng-chi (TPE), Park Jun-won (KOR), P. Gunasegaran (MAS), Clay Devers (USA), Peter Fowler (AUS)

69 - Cameron Percy (AUS), Scott Hend (AUS), Yasin Ali (ENG), Jason Knutzon (USA), Angelo Que (PHI), Chapchai Nirat (THA), David Diaz (AUS), Scott Strange (AUS), Airil Rizman Zahari (MAS)

70 - Brad Kennedy (AUS), Tatsuhiko Takahashi (JPN), Adam Groom (AUS), Simon Griffiths (ENG), Gareth Paddison (NZL), Taichiro Kiyota (JPN), Chris Campbell (AUS), Masaya Tomida (JPN), Adam Blyth (AUS), Mo Joong-kyung (KOR), Thaworn Wiratchant (THA), Mardan Mamat (SIN), Soushi Tajima (JPN), Lin Wen-tang (TPE)

(Note: 27 players to complete round one on Friday morning)

March 22, 2007