Chand & Yokoo top leaderboard

Fijian Dinesh Chand shared the first round lead with local sensation Kaname Yokoo in the Asia Japan Okinawa Open on Thursday.

The big-hitting Chand and Yokoo, who have a combined seven titles in Japan , fired matching six-under-par 65s to lead former Okinawa Open champion Hiroyuki Fujita by one stroke.

Another local stalwart Kenichi Kuboya finished fourth with a 67 at the Naha Golf Club. The event is the opening leg of the 2006 season for both the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour.

Starting from the 10th, Chand turned in 32 with three birdies but dropped his only bogey at the par five second hole. The Fijian, a regular in Japan , then reeled off four straight birdies from the fourth hole to end the day atop with Yokoo, who also shot an impressive seven birdies on the card.

Defending champion Kiyoshi Miyazato lurks in fifth position when he produced a 68 and was tied alongside Australia 's Chris Campbell and Richard Moir and American Jason Knutzon.

Newly crowned Asian Tour number one Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand started his campaign strongly with a 69, a score matched by India 's Amandeep Johl and Gaurav Ghei, and Japanese trio Tomohiro Kondo, Ryuici Oda and Tommy Nakajima.

Fresh from celebrating his maiden Asian Tour win at the 2005 season-ender, the Volvo Masters of Asia on Sunday, Shiv Kapur of India launched his Okinawa campaign in shared 42nd position after a 72. He shot one eagle and four birdies but dropped seven bogeys.

Two-time Asian number one Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand has a mountain to climb as he scrambled to a 75.

Japan 's woman golf sensation Ai Miyazato, playing on a sponsor's invite, stumbled with an 80 in cold and windy conditions.

Leading first round scores

65 - Dinesh Chand (FIJ), Kaname Yokoo (JPN)

66 - Hiroyuki Fujita (JPN)

67 - Kenichi Kuboya (JPN)

68 - Chris Campbell (AUS), Jason Knutzon ( USA ), Richard Moir (AUS), Kiyoshi Miyazato (JPN)

69 - Ryuichi Oda (JPN), Amandeep Johl (IND), Tommy Nakajima (JPN), Gaurav Ghei (IND), Tomohiro Kondo (JPN), Thaworn Wiratchant (THA)

70 - Tsuyoshi Yoneyama (JPN), Marcus Both (AUS), Prom Meesawat (THA), Tadahiro Takayama (JPN), Prayad Marksaeng (THA), Shinichi Akiba (JPN), Unho Park (AUS), Takashi Kanemoto (JPN), Scott Strange (AUS), Katsumasa Miyamoto (JPN), Makoto Inoue (JPN)

Email this page to a friend | Return to top of page