Oct 5, 2017: Peradol Panyathanasedh of Thailand and Johannes Veerman of the United States shared the first round lead on five-under-par 67 at the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship (TPC) on Thursday. India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar scored four-under-par 68 to tail the lead with one shot.
The little known Peradol returned with a flawless card while Veerman, the reigning Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit winner, traded six birdies against one bogey at the US$500,000 Asian Tour event.
Gaganjeet Bhullar of India, a seven-time Asian Tour winner, Danny Chia of Malaysia, and American duo Jarin Todd and Dodge Kemmer were a further shot back in tied third place at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club.
Bhullar fired six birdies and two bogies to score 4-under-par 68 after the opening round to tie at T3 with just one shot behind the leaders Peradol and Veerman.
“It is a decent start. It wasn’t easy. When we started it was calm but around the turn it started to blow a lot. I rolled the ball really well and gave myself a lot of good looks on the green. I holed a few good putts including a 25-foot birdie putt (hole 8). It is not easy to read the greens this week. That’s probably the trickiest par.
It will be a test of patience out here. This course looks easy but it can get you any given time. You got to keep yourself calm and composed on the golf course.
There is no secret to success. I’m just trying to do my work and try and repeat the things I did when I played well or won. I just need to execute it well. I’ve been playing well but not scoring. Personally I knew I’m playing good and it is just a matter of time before it clicks” said Bhullar.
Lu Wei-chih of Chinese Taipei fired a hole-in-one on the par-three 11thhole before returning with a score of 69. He is tied in seventh place alongside Ajeetesh Sandhu of India, Fan Chiang Hao-chuan of Chinese Taipei, Antonio Lascuna of the Philippines and Lionel Weber of France.
The 28-year-old Peradol overcame the blustery conditions to return with a bogey free round. He is riding high on confidence after winning his second title on the local circuit last month which ended a seven-year title drought.
The sweet-swinging Veerman got off to a strong start in his search for a first Asian Tour title after shooting six birdies against one bogey. He has good memories in Chinese Taipei where he won his first ADT title last year en-route to winning the ADT Order of Merit.
Did you know?
- Peradol took advantage of his straight hitting drives where he found 12 out of 14 fairways. He only missed four greens in regulation while accumulating 28 putts in a round of five birdies.
- He chipped in for birdie on the 14th hole from 20 yards.
- Peradol changed his name from Varut Chomchalam after his father was diagnosed with cancer. He and his family visited a temple and was advised by the monk to change their names for better luck.
- Peradol played at the Linkou course for the first time in 2010 where he missed the cut at the Yeangder TPC. Earlier this year, he played on the same course on the ADT where he shot a second round 66. He eventually finished in a share of 54th place.
- Veerman enjoyed a stellar rookie year on the ADT and Asian Tour last year. He won the ADT Order of Merit and finished 50th on the Order of Merit to secure a full Asian Tour card for 2017.
- He is currently ranked 29th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
- Bhullar won the Yeangder TPC in 2012. The event was reduced to 54 holes because of bad weather. He is searching for his eighth Asian Tour victory this week.
- He holed a brilliant 25 foot birdie on the par three eighth hole.
- Lu Wei-chih aced the par three 11th hole with an eight iron from 163 yards. It was his seventh career hole-in-one but his first in seven years. His last hole-in-one came in the third round of the 2011 Mercuries Taiwan Masters which he won.
- Kemmer is playing on a sponsor’s invitation this week. He does not hold an Asian Tour card for 2017. However if he wins this week he will earn a winner’s exemption for two years.
Asian Tour Release
