Chawalit Plaphol one back in Qatar

Thailand 's Chawalit Plaphol carried the Asian charge at the US$2 million Commercialbank Qatar Masters on Thursday, firing a five-under-par 67 to lie one stroke behind co-leaders Henrik Stenson of Sweden and Argentine Ricardo Gonzalez.

The smooth-swinging Chawalit produced some wonderful shots to overcome erratic driving as he snared six birdies against a lone bogey at Doha Golf Club. Compatriot Boonchu Ruangkit, who turns 50 in May , rolled back the years and charged up the leaderboard with a 68.

The tournament's big guns, Vijay Singh of Fiji and title holder Ernie Els of South Africa, failed to make their presence felt in the opening round. Singh, the world's number two, carded a 73 while Els recovered from a two-over front nine to return a 71, a two shot improvement from his opening round last year.

Thongchai Jaidee made it a triple treat for Thailand with a 70 as he enjoyed the satisfaction of outscoring his playing partner Els but it was a disappointing day for current Asian Tour number one Thaworn Wiratchant, currently third on the UBS Order of Merit.

Thaworn, who won a record four titles last season, was cruising at four-under through 10 holes where he played alongside Singh but stumbled with three bogeys and one double bogey, no thanks to the treacherous rough that fringes the challenging Doha layout.

Chawalit is sporting a new look this week after bleaching his hair and he hopes it will bring him good fortune. He rode on some good luck after escaping with pars on the second, third and fourth holes with some wonderful wedge play. Since the inauguration of the Qatar Masters in 1998, no Asian has won the event.

"I was lucky," admitted Chawalit. "I got out of trouble early on and then on the back nine, I drove the ball a bit better and made five birdies. I didn't play well on my home course in a Thai tournament two weeks ago and decided then that I needed to do something. So I went to bleach my hair. It's a new year, so maybe a new look will bring me luck."

He rolled in a 16-foot birdie on the fifth but gave a stroke back at the next hole after finding the thick rough. Chawalit was back in red figures on the 10th and then chipped in on 13 for birdie. Further putts of eight feet on 14 and 17 and another conversion from 12 feet at the last saw Chawalit cruise onto the leaderboard.

"My putting was really strong and thankfully my short game was good. I hit only two fairways on the front nine but scrambled nicely and on the back nine, I drove better and created some chances. I'm hoping that my luck will continue," said Chawalit.

Big-hitting Gonzalez and last year's runner-up Stenson surged into the first round lead in fine style. The Argentine, who warmed up for the week by playing polo, rode on his recent good form to shoot seven birdies while Stenson, second in Abu Dhabi last week, soared with an eagle two after driving the green to five feet of the pin on the 16th hole.

Gonzalez, a three-time winner in Europe , is in a rich vein of form after finishing fourth last week. And he also made sure the stars of the game knew of his presence here when he belted a 380 yard drive onto the green at the fourth hole when Singh was putting out in the group in front.

"Vijay was on the green and I apologised to him. I didn't expect to hit the green but I really killed the ball there and there was a bit of a down wind. I hit it to nine feet but unfortunately I missed the eagle putt," said Gonzalez.

Stenson is looking to improve by one rung after agonisingly losing last year's title to Els after the Big Easy had come back from five strokes behind with a closing 65. "I will try to improve by one place and hopefully I will have a chance. I got off to a trembling start but got it back on track," said the Dubai-based Swede.

The story of the morning session belonged to young amateur Danny Denison of England , who ended the day in third place with Chawalit and South African Darren Fichardt, the 2003 champion.

The 20-year-old gained an exemption into this week's event, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour, after winning the Qatar Amateur Open last December and he made the most of his opportunity of playing alongside the world's best players with a six-birdie round that was somewhat spoilt by a bogey at the last.

Els, playing in his first tournament of 2006, bogeyed the second and ninth holes to turn in 38 but showed his class with three birdies on his inward nine. "I didn't play well on the front and made some mistakes. I would have loved to squeeze some birdies in there on the last couple of holes but one under par when I wasn't at my best is not too bad," said the world number five.

A day after thinking that he had fixed his putting woes, Singh said his putter "had blinders on it at the moment." "I just didn't get it going. It wasn't all that tough but I didn't take the chances. Every time I missed the green I seemed to make bogey. I have to fix my putter of mine. I thought I had it right but it's just not there," said Singh.

Europe 's Ryder Cup stars Lee Westwood and Paul McGinley shot 69s, as did Asian Tour stalwart Simon Yates. Flamboyant Frenchman Jean Van De Velde, famous for throwing away a three shot lead at the last hole of the 1999 British Open, also shot a 69 that included an amazing 10 birdies, two double bogeys and one triple bogey.