2008 China Tour Shanghai Championship - Round 1: Chen leads by three after 66

Chen Xiaoma, last year’s ‘Most Improved Player’ on the Omega China Tour, shot an opening six-under-par 66 to take a three-shot lead in the Shanghai Championship, the fourth event on this year’s Omega China Tour.

Yuan Hao, the Tour’s longest hitter, and 21-year-old James Yang Wenzhang, runner-up in last year’s Buddha Cup, both shot 69.

Defending champion Li Chao is lurking ominously after a 70 that put him tied fourth with Wang Huiqiang, while Asian Tour player Shang Lei and Australian Garth Cusick shot 71. The experienced Lu Wen-teh of Chinese Taipei, winner of last month’s Kunming Championship and one of the favourites this week, shot a 75 to lie joint 24th.

Chengdu-born Yang Taoli, the first female professional to play on the Omega China Tour, ended with a creditable 77 over the 7,118-yard layout at the Orient (Shanghai) Golf and Country Club.

Chen enjoyed his return to Shanghai, the city he lived in before moving inland to Suzhou, where he’s attached to the Taihu International Golf Club. His seven-birdie 66 matched his second-round score in March’s Dell Championship at Orient (Xiamen), where he finished 12th.

“I lived in Shanghai for 10 years, so I feel comfortable. I know the area well, although I hadn’t played at this club before,” said the six-footer. “I putted very well today, but most importantly I was hitting my irons well, so I gave myself a lot of birdie chances.”

The 29-year-old had middling results in his first two seasons on the Omega China Tour, but was eighth on last year’s Omega Order of Merit after finishing second in Qingdao, third in Kunming and fourth in Yanji.

“A 66 is a good start to the week, but there’s still three days to go so I want to continue this form. The course is not too long, so it’s more about accuracy. There’s not a lot of rough, but the main thing is to avoid the water hazards.”

The highly rated Yuan, sixth in last year’s Omega Order of Merit, was content with his opening round, which he hoped would mark a return to form after he missed the cut in the three recent Asian Tour events in China.

“I haven’t been playing well the last month or so, probably only at 50 per cent of my level. Today wasn’t bad,” said the 28-year-old, who had six birdies and three bogeys.

“The course is fairly straight-forward. I birdied three of the four par-fives, while my three bogeys were all because of three-putts, which was disappointing.”

Li, the Tour’s most successful player with eight victories and two Omega Order of Merit titles, was also in a mixed mood.

”The round was not good, not bad, as the course isn’t difficult,” said the 28-year-old. “Chen Xiaoma obviously played well today. It’s getting harder on the circuit to defend and win titles, because all the players are improving each year.”

Yang Taoli has been making headlines all week as the first female pro and only the second woman to compete on the Tour, although her debut has been overshadowed by the tragic events close to home in her native Sichuan province.

Her 77 could easily have been better but for a narrow miss on a six-foot birdie putt on hole seven, her 16th, where she also missed the one-foot return for one of her five bogeys.

“I enjoyed the round today. It showed that playing with men is definitely different to playing with women. Usually I just focus on hitting the fairway, but on these tees I have to concentrate on getting more distance,” said the 24-year-old.

Yang is competing in the knowledge that her family in Du Jiang Yan, northwest of Chengdu, have been living in a tent since their home was damaged in the earthquake, although she was still able to put her appearance in a golfing perspective.

“Michelle Wie and Annika Sorenstam have also played in men’s events, but they were probably playing to compete. I’m just trying to get experience and improve, especially ahead of the Evian Masters in France,” she said, referring to the high-profile Ladies European Tour event in late July.

Cusick, who didn’t know his score until informed in the scorer’s tent, enjoyed a chip-in eagle on the par-five 15th in his 71, which easily bettered his four rounds in his debut event in Kunming.

“I’m ecstatic. I’ve loved being on the Tour so far, as I’ve had four hard years pounding the mat (teaching),” said the Tasmania native, head coach of the Beijing-based SGA - China Coaching Center.

“I’m conscious of making the cut, but a good opening round makes the second day a whole lot easier. However, I think I speak for a lot of players when I say that although our minds are on the game, our hearts are with those who have suffered in the earthquake.”

Shanghai Championship, Omega China Tour

Leading first-round scores - Chinese unless stated (click here for full leaderboard):

66 – Chen Xiaoma
69 – James Yang Wenzhang, Yuan Hao
70 – Li Chao, Wang Huiqiang
71 – Garth Cusick (AUS), Shang Lei
72 – Deng Yuchao, Hsu Mong-nan (TPE)
73 – Gu Cuilin, Gu Shutao, Fan Zhipeng, Ryan Huang Yonghuan, Sha Ke
74 – Wong Woon-man (HKG), Liao Guiming, Liu Guojie, Shi Ningjie, James Su Dong (A), Tuo Wentao, Alex Wu Ashun, Zheng Shaoguang, Zhou Jun
75 – Cai Nan, Cui Xiaolong, Fu Xin, Lu Wen-teh (TPE), Wu Kangchun, Zhang Xinjun (A), Zheng Wengen, Yu Chunze

Selected scores:
76 – Yau Sui-ming (HKG)
82 – Jason Robertson (RSA)
84 – Nick Redfern (ENG)

Chengdu event announcement

Following Monday’s earthquake in Sichuan province, the China Golf Association and Omega China Tour officials have announced that the Luxehills Golf Championship in Chengdu, scheduled to be held from June 5-8, will be postponed. The new dates have not yet been confirmed.

May 15, 2008

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