London Myanmar Open
Bagan Golf Resort
Bagan, Myanmar
5th - 8th March 1998

First Round Report

First Round Scores

Boonchu shares lead with Huxtable

Bagan, Myanmar, 5th March 1998 - Thailand's Boonchu Ruangkit made a strong start in his bid to win his third successive London Myanmar Open title, firing a superb five-under-par 67 over the Bagan Golf Resort layout for a share of the first round lead with American Robert Huxtable.

Both players carded seven birdies and two bogies in what is the opening leg of the 1998 Omega Tour and head the leaderboard by two shots from Scotland's Simon
Yates, American Greg Hanrahan and Carlos Espinosa of Mexico.

"I putted very well today and only missed three fairways from the tee, which is vital on this course," said Boonchu, who won the event last year at the City Golf Resort in Yangon and at the Yangon Golf Club the previous year.

"Although I have been struggling with my putter over the last few months I had few problems today. I am very happy with my start – a 67 on this course is a very good score."

Starting on the 10th tee Boonchu wasted little time finding his form with the putter that has served him so well over the years, holing an 18 foot birdie putt from just off the green on the 11th.

The Thai maestro followed this with birdies from 12 feet on the 14th, from 10 feet on the 16th, and from five feet on the 17th. His one bogey in an outward 33 came at the 15th when he got a flyer with his second and overshot the green.

Boonchu moved to four under for the day following a 15 foot birdie putt at the first, but dropped another shot on the par-five third when he found the water and failed to nail a three footer for par. He finished strongly with a birdie on the eighth and ninth – holing from 12 feet and four feet respectively.

Huxtable playing in his first international event of the year hit three birdies and one bogey for an outward 34, and came home one better thanks to four birdies and one bogey on the homeward half.

"I knew the conditions this week were going to be dry and sandy so I have been practicing on this type of surface back home," said 33-year-old Huxtable.

"I was very disappointed with my form on the Omega Tour in 1997, so it's nice to get off to a good start. I am hungry for success and have decided this year to try and hit the best shot I can every time I address the ball – thankfully today it payed off."