2008 Barclays Singapore Open - Round 1: Lam raises local hopes as weather calls a halt

Lam Chih Bing raised hopes of becoming the first local winner of the US$5 million Barclays Singapore Open when he fired a sparkling four-under-par 67 for the clubhouse lead on Thursday.

The 31-year-old, an underachiever on the Asian Tour despite his enormous talent, eclipsed the big guns at Sentosa Golf Club with an opening round that included five birdies against a lone bogey.

Marcus Both of Australia carded a 68 to lie one back but the tournament's top guns Padraig Harrington of Ireland, American Phil Mickelson and two-time Barclays Singapore Open champion Adam Scott of Australia endured slow starts to their campaigns in Asia's richest national championship.

World number five Harrington, a double Major winner this year, struggled home to a 72, third-ranked Mickelson was one shot higher while Scott stumbled to a disappointing 76 which included four straight bogeys at the start of his round.

A two-hour 10 minute delay due to a lightning storm meant that only half the field completed their first rounds, with South African star Ernie Els amongst those who must return on Friday morning to complete their remaining holes.

Els, runner-up to Scott in 2006, was three-under for the day through 14 holes when play was abandoned at 6.50pm.

After enjoying a stellar amateur career when he helped Singapore win the Putra Cup in 1993, Lam's professional career failed to match the expectations heaped on him. But after becoming a father for the first time this year and putting in the work with a new coach, the big-hitting Lam has shown better form, missing only three cuts from 16 starts.

"It just feels good to be here, I guess I played very solidly and hit quite a number of greens and holed some good putts. I'm very thrilled," said Lam, who has posted only two top-10s in 105 starts on the Asian Tour.

Lam enjoyed a flying start, rolling in a 25-footer on his opening hole at the 10th. Wielding a conventional length putter for the first time in six years after "ending the relationship" with the belly-putter last week, Lam rolled in four more birdies to raise local cheers.

With Singapore still waiting to celebrate the first home winner since the event's inauguration in 1961, Lam knows he must stay on an even keel. "You know, it's just another tournament for me and even though it's our national open and the biggest tournament on the Asian Tour, I still got to go out there and do my job.

"I'm not even going to think about this (becoming Singapore's first winner), it's such a long way to go," said Lam. "It's important not to get ahead of myself."

Both, bidding for a second Asian Tour win after his lone success in 2003, birdied two of his final three holes to surge onto the leaderboard. The Aussie said he worked on his swing in his hotel room last night and found a missing link.

"I did not hit it that well in practice. I figured something out in the hotel room last night when I was doing some alignment stuff in front of the mirror - just that my shoulders were getting a little bit out of whack," said Both.

Harrington, who won the British Open and PGA Championship during summer, started strongly and made the turn in 33 before stumbling home with three bogeys to end his first round five shots behind the clubhouse leader. But the Irishman was still feeling good about his prospects.

"I played better (than the score indicates). It certainly had the potential to be better but it is a 72 and I am encouraged by the way I hit it. Definitely, I left a few shots out there and that needs to be better the next three days," said the Irishman.

Mickelson, who is on the second week of his Asian sojourn, struggled when the rain and winds swept in late in the morning which eventually led to the suspension.

"I know two over par does not sound good but I will actually take it. I got off to a terrible start and I was three over early. It was windy and raining - it was a lot tougher. So I will take the two over. I need to get out tomorrow and get off to a good start and make some birdies. I do not feel I shot myself out of the tournament by any means," said the American lefthander.

Round 1 was suspended at 6.50pm and play will resume at 7.30am Friday.

Leading clubhouse scores:

67 - LAM Chih Bing
68 - Marcus BOTH
70 - Markus BRIER, Charlie WI, ZHANG Lian-wei
71 - Ben LEONG, Charl SCHWARTZEL, Thaworn WIRATCHANT, PARK Jun-won, Jason KING, Somkiat SRISANGA
72 - Padraig HARRINGTON, Gonzalo FDZ-CASTANO, Simon DUNN, Adam BLYTH, Mars PUCAY, Scott BARR

Selected scores:

73 - Darren CLARKE, Prayad MARKSAENG, Phil MICKELSON
74 - Danny LEE [A], LIANG Wen-chong
76 - Thongchai JAIDEE, Arjun ATWAL, Adam SCOTT

November 13, 2008