A week after winning in Taiwan, Saranporn Langkulgasettrin continued to wield a hot hand yesterday as the Thai teenager carded a four-under-par 68 to take the first-round lead at the PTT Thailand LPGA Masters at Bangkok's Panya Indra Golf Club.
Malaysian Ainil Bakar and Taiwan's Chen Yu-ju were one shot back on 69 at the 4-million-baht tournament, a tri-sanctioned event between the China LPGA, Australian LPGA and Thai LPGA.
China's Li Jiayun shot a 70 to sit equal fourth with Thais Patcharajutar Kongkraphan, Renuka Suksukont, Chatprapa Siriprakob, Nemittra Juntanaket and Parinda Phokan.
Saranporn, the current China LPGA Tour Order of Merit leader who won last week's Kenda Tires TLPGA Open, started her early morning round from the 10th tee and came out firing.
The 17-year-old carded five birdies through her first seven holes to make the turn at a five-under 31. The front nine proved a different animal as she had three bogeys and two birdies.
"Really good today. I love my shots, really nice. Being the champion in the TLPGA Open last week gave me more confidence with my shots, especially my driving and putting. The golf course is in really good condition, the fairways and greens are amazing," said the Phuket native, a winner of four tournaments this year.
"Tomorrow, I'm going to stay on my plan and try to fix the bogeys that I got today because some of the bogeys were crazy and stupid."
Bakar registered four birdies on the front nine and had a chance to grab a share of the lead until she bogeyed the final hole, a 366-yard par four.
"I feel good today, the putting is good. I just missed a couple of greens and one bogey on the last hole. My iron shots are not bad today," she said.