Kodai Ichihara
Japan’s Kodai Ichihara enjoyed a hot putting day as he charged into the first round lead at The Open Championship International Final Qualifying – Asia with a seven-under-par 65 on Thursday.
Chasing a first trip to The Open, the Asian Tour regular wielded his broomhandle putter like a magic wand for an outward 31 before coming home with two more birdies for an unblemished card at Amata Spring Country Club.
India’s Shiv Kapur lived up to the saying “Beware the Sick Golfer” as he overcame a stomach bug to shoot a 66 for tied second place alongside Bangladeshi sensation Siddikur and Korea’s Lee Sung, a deaf-born golfer who started having the ability to hear after having an implant surgically placed in his right ear last November.
The home charge was carried by Prom Meesawat, who fired a solid 67 matched by Korean duo Kim Hyung-sung and Bae Kyu-tae.
The race for four tickets to The Open at Royal St George’s in July will be a close battle as Liang Wen-chong, China’s first Asian Tour number one in 2007, Japanese Yoshinobu Tsukada, home stars Pariya Junhasavasdikul, Prayad Marksaeng and Chinnarat Phadungsil, Australian Gavin Flint, England’s Miles Tunnicliff and Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing returned 68s to stay in the frame.
The day belonged to the ever-smiling Ichihara, competing in only his second IFQ - Asia.
“My putting was very, very good,” beamed the 28-year-old Japanese, who finished 58th on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit last season. “I holed a lot of putts from 10 to 20 feet and when I was in trouble on three occasions my putting saved me.
“It’s my first competitive round of the year and I feel relaxed.”
While Lee can now hear the sweet sound of his ball-striking, the Korean was also eagle-eyed on the greens in his bogey-free round. “I saw the lines. I’ve got a good chance,” said the Korean, who lost in a play-off at the IFQ in Singapore for a place in the Open in 2006.
Kapur, the man who pipped Lee for the last ticket five years ago, contemplated withdrawing after falling ill overnight but produced one of the rounds of the day.
“I’ve been sick as a dog and on the way to the club this morning, I thought there was no way I could play. Since I was already here, I decided to give it a go. But once I got into a playing mode, I forgot about being sick and carried on playing one shot at a time.
“My caddie (Neeraj Sareen) also reminded me of the old saying at the start of the day and I didn’t think about anything. I was seven under through 14 holes and it seems that I’ve got a chance now. I was lucky to get in 18 holes,” said the Indian, a one-time winner on the Asian Tour.
Siddikur, the first Bangladeshi to win on the Asian Tour last season, hopes to make more history and fight his way into the sports pages back home which is now filled with ICC World Cup cricket news as Bangladesh is one of the co-hosts.
“My play was excellent and I only missed one short putt. The winds were up and the course wasn’t easy. I’m feeling excited and I’m dreaming of playing in the Open Championship although there’s still one day to go.
“Our golfers will be excited back home if I can do it but right now, the cricket is taking up all the news!”
The burly Prom, who has endured a lean patch over the past few years, took advantage of his familiarity with the course to give himself a shot at a first Open appearance.
“I’ve never shot anything like this here. My game is getting better right now. I’m striking the ball better and the work put in with my coach and psychologist have been good.
“My game has looked up since September and I am getting more confidence. The main thing now is that I’m taking a relaxed approach whenever I play. Every shot, I try to stay relaxed,” he said.
Leading first round scores
65: Kodai Ichihara (Jpn)
66: Shiv Kapur (Ind), Siddikur (Ban), Lee Sung (Kor)
67: Bae Kyu-tae (Kor), Kim Hyung-sung (Kor), Prom Meesawat (Tha)
68: Yoshinobu Tsukada (Jpn), Liang Wen-chong (Chn), Pariya Junhasavasdikul (Tha), Lam Chih Bing (Sin), Gavin Flint (Aus), Chinannarat Phadungsil (Tha), Miles Tunnicliff (Eng), Prayad Marksaeng
