Kanchanaburi: Chan Shih-chang took the lead on day one of the Royal's Cup yesterday, recapturing some of the form that saw him win the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship at the end of last year.
The Taiwanese golfer fired an eight-under-par 64 at Grand Prix Golf Club, in Kanchanaburi, to lead by one shot over the Philippines' Justin Quiban, who shot 65.
Sweden's Bjorn Hellgren and Thai duo Sadom Kaewkanjana and Thitipan Pachuayprakong, are tied third after they returned 66s, in the second event of the season on the Asian Tour.
"I found back the same feeling I had when I played well in Phuket last year, which was nice," said Chan. "I hope it stays that way in the next few rounds."
The 35-year-old is a three-time champion on the Asian Tour and a six-time winner on the Asian Development Tour.
Chan began his round on the 10th hole and went out in five under and reached eight under after 13 holes before making his only bogey of the day on hole five. However, a birdie on his final hole saw him restore his impressive total.
Quiban turns 26 tomorrow and celebrated early with a fine round yesterday. "I just followed my game plan from the beginning. Tried to hit as many greens as I can. I was actually rolling my putts real good, reading the greens real good. Even the speed," said the Filipino.
He nailed eight birdies and dropped one shot.
Hellgren, who attended Florida State University and roomed with American Brooks Koepka for two years, went round bogey free with four birdies on his front nine and two on his back, on the last two holes.
Newly crowned Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Kim Joo-Hyung from South Korea, American John Catlin, a four-time Asian Tour winner, and Thailand's Atiruj Winaicharoenchai were in a large group of players who returned 67s.