Mamat and Fraser lead the way with 65s

Local hero Mardan Mamat enjoyed a magnificent start in the OSIM Singapore Masters on Thursday as he charged into the joint first round lead with a spectacular seven-under-par 65.

The Singaporean number one eclipsed playing partner and title holder Nick Dougherty, who carded a 69, with an eight birdie-round at Laguna National Golf and Country Club to share the o pen ing day's honour with Australian Marcus Fraser.

Thailand 's Prayad Marksaeng and veteran Boonchu Ruangkit bolstered the Asian Tour's challenge in the US$1 million event co-sanctioned with the European Tour after matching 67s left them tied for third place with Australians Wade Ormsby and Singapore-based Unho Park .

Korea 's Charlie Wi , the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit leader, and Chinese Taipei's Lu Wei- chih were amongst those who stayed within striking reach of the co-leaders with 69s.

The 38-year-old Mamat , Singapore's only winner on the Asian Tour following his triumph in the Indian O pen in 2004, thrilled local galleries with a wonderful ball-striking display and raised hopes of a first home winner in the six-year history of the Singapore Masters.

Starting the day from the 10th, he enjoyed a flying start with three straight birdies from the 11th, converting putts from inside of 12 feet. Despite a bogey on the 18th where he drove into the water hazard, Mamat picked up five more birdies, including two 20-footers on the 16th and eighth holes.

"I'm very happy. My putting worked well. That good start really gave me the push. If you shoot 65 anytime, it's always good and it'll give me confidence. You need to strike the ball well here. I am not a long hitter and I kept the ball in play and stayed away from the rough," said Mamat , whose liking for Laguna National is evident as he won a local event here in January.

Part of Mamat's success included taming the notorious par three challenges with three birdies on the eighth, 12th and 17th, ranked amongst the four hardest holes on the course in the first round.

He ended his day in style, nailing a seven iron approach at his last hole from the fairway bunker to two feet. "To birdie the three par threes on this course is like making hole in ones. They are tough, especially with the wind blowing against you like it did today. It was a bonus," said Mamat , who was tied eighth in this event two years ago.

Fraser, 27, charged up the leaderboard late in the day, thanks to five birdies and an eagle at the par five 15th hole where he chipped in from 35 yards. "It was nice to see that one go in. One of those freaky rounds, I think," said Fraser, who has one victory on the European Tour.

Asia 's challenge also saw the sweet-swinging Prayad moving up to third place where he hit all the fairways and greens in regulation and sank five birdies. "I've been working on my driving and it worked quite nicely today. You must stay away from the rough here," said Prayad , a five-time winner on the Asian Tour.

"It's nice to have a good start here especially after last week where I didn't play well in Indonesia when I was sick with the flu. I like Laguna a lot as it's always in good condition. The greens are really good and if you putt well, you can make birdies here," added the Thai, who was third here in 2003.

Boonchu , who turns 50 in May , produced a vintage performance with six birdies, including one at finishing hole where he skirted with danger when he drive stopped short of the lake that lines the fairway.

"I hit a low cut drive which missed the water by about five yards," said Boonchu . "It was nice to get a birdie on 18 after bogeying 17. My form is sometimes good, sometimes bad this year. Last week was my first cut of the year (in Indonesia where he finished 27th). I'm getting old and it's getting harder to walk. My right knee is giving me problems. It's probably because of my kick boxing days when I was a young boy," said the Thai legend.

Dougherty's defence began with a three-putt bogey on the 10th hole but he bounced back with five birdies against another bogey. The young Englishman conceded his game wasn't as sharp as he hoped for following a three-week break. "It was a good start considering I didn't play that great," said Dougherty, who triumphed over Colin Montgomerie and Thomas Bjorn for his first European Tour title here last season.

The champion also spoke highly of Mamat . "He has a lot of talent and putted fantastically well. I think that is the key to this course because if your iron play is good, it comes down to a putting contest," said Dougherty.

Thai stars Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant , amongst the pre-tournament favourites at the OSIM Singapore Masters, stumbled to disappointing 76s. Thongchai's day included a triple bogey on his last hole where he needed four shots to get onto the green which he three putted.

India 's Shiv Kapur settled for a 71 after o pen ing with two bogeys while last week's Indonesian O pen winner Simon Dyson o pen ed his campaign with a 73. China 's Zhang Lian- wei , the winner in 2003, withdrew this morning due to illness.