1st Round - Faldo Series Asia Grand Final
By: Darren Ramowski | Fri 12 Mar 2010
English international, Oliver Carr, is the leading European challenger after the first round of the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, played over the Faldo Course at Mission Hills Golf Club, Shenzhen, China.
Carr, 17, a former Cheshire Junior champion, from the Heswall Golf Club, Merseyside, defied windy conditions to card an opening round of four over par 76 and claim a share of 13th place, six shots behind leaders Gavin Green (Malaysia), Hsieh Chi Hsien (Chinese Taipei) and Brent Sumampong (The Philippines).
Carr goes into the second round two shots ahead of compatriot, Jonathan Bell, 18, from the Royal Blackheath Golf Club, Kent, who carded a six over par 78 and now has it all to do if he is to add the Faldo Series Asia title to the Faldo Series European title he won in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, last October. Another Englishman, Daniel Owen, a Bahrain resident, posted an opening 84 to languish well down the strong international field in 54th place.
2009 English and French Under-18 champion, Holly Clyburn, 18, from Woodhall Spa, Lincs, opened with a battling 78 to share fourth place in the concurrent Girls’ event, six shots behind leader, Thidapa Suwannapura from Thailand. Brogan Townend, 15, from the Pleasington Golf Club in Lancashire, is 11th in the Under-16 Girls’ event after an opening round of 86.
This year’s Faldo Series Asia Grand Final has attracted a strong international field comprising 75 players from 18 different countries. The pre-tournament favourite was India’s Rashid Khan who was bidding to become the first golfer ever to win the title three years-in-a-row. Khan, 19, opened with a two over par 74 to share seventh place with 36-holes left to go.
Leading First Round Scores
Boys’70 – G. Green (Mal), Hsieh Chi Hsien (CHT), B. Sumampong (Phi)
72 – S. Chikkarangappa (Ind)
74 – R. Khan (Ind), Yao Xue Feng (Chn)
75 – M. Ito (Jap), K. Joshi (Ind), I. Ismail (Mal), P. Costa Lima (Bra)
76 – O. Carr (Eng), D. Niyomchon (Tha)
Other scores
78 – J. Bell (Eng)
84 – D. Owen (Eng)
Girls’
72 – T. Suwannapura (Tha)
73 – Liu Yi Chen (CHT)
77 – Chien Pei Yun
78 – H. Clyburn (Eng), Y. Ogawa (Jap)
Other score
84 – B. Townend (Eng) 86
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