Gunn shares lead with Bhullar and Kawamura

Gunn shares lead with Bhullar and Kawamura

Gunn Charoenkul.
Gunn Charoenkul.

Jakarta: Thailand's Gunn Charoenkul shared the opening round lead with Gaganjeet Bhullar of India and Masahiro Kawamura of Japan at the Indonesian Masters yesterday.

Sponsor's invite Gunn, who suffered a wrist injury in 2014 and is slowly finding his form again after winning on the local circuit in Thailand in July and in China in September, shot an opening six-under 66. His round included seven birdies and one bogey.

"I'm feeling pretty excited to be tied at the top with Gaganjeet [Bhullar]. He just came off an injury and won. I think we had the same injury as well [wrist injury]. I'm glad that we are both playing well," said the 24-year-old Gunn.

Arjun Atwal, a former Asian Tour No. and first Indian to win on the PGA Tour, was a further shot back with Thai teenager Phachara Khongwatmai at the US$750,000 event staged at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

The 28-year-old Bhullar, who won in Korea last week, overcame early nerves to make the turn in 32 before adding birdies on seven and nine to stay in contention for back-to-back victories.

Japan's Kawamura, who has one win on the Asian Tour, recovered from an opening bogey to fire seven birdies including one on the last to take his place among the leaders.

Play was suspended at 5.55pm (local time) due to darkness. A total of five players will resume their rounds this morning at 7am.

Yokomine ahead in Taiwan

Japan's Sakura Yokomine went to the top of the leaderboard yesterday after battling windy conditions in the opening round of the LPGA Taiwan Championship.

Yokomine scored a five-under-par 67, including five birdies and an eagle.

Defending champion and world No.1 Lydia Ko could only manage tied 10th place.

Ko had to fight back from a double-bogey on the fifth hole to finish on 70 at the Miramar Golf and Country Club in New Taipei City.

She made history in Taiwan last year as an 18-year-old, when she became the youngest player to capture her 10th victory on the LPGA Tour.

US player Paula Creamer was one of only three players to go in bogey-free in the first round and is tied second with Korea's Amy Yang and Canada's Brooke Henderson.

World No.4 Henderson made a late rally, birdieing three of her final four holes. agencies

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT