Huang Wen-yi leads Shenzhen Intl

Huang Wen-yi shot 66 to lead Shenzhen International

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Huang Wen-yi shot 66 to lead Shenzhen International

 

Edited by Anand Datla

 

April 16, 2015: It is never too late to turn to golf. He did not pick up a golf club until he was 22, but China’s Huang Wen-yi shot a six under par 66 to hold a one shot lead after the opening round of the Shenzhen International at Genzon Golf Club. The home favourite carded eight birdies against two bogeys in his opening round to hold a one shot lead over Chile’s Felipe Aguilar, Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Korea’s Byeong Hun An and America’s Peter Uihlein.

 

“Last year I played very bad,” said Huang, who worked as a labourer and then a caddie before falling in love with the game. “This year I have changed my swing and yesterday I changed the driver and I like the new driver. I like the course; the green speed is very good.”

 

While Huang produced the round of the day, Challenge Tour graduate An enjoyed the shot of the day when he aced the par three eighth. Uihlein birdied the last three holes of his opening round, Aphibarnrat completed a front-nine 31 and Aguilar was the only one of the leading players to keep a clean card.

 

“I hit the ball quite well today,” said two-time European Tour winner Aguilar. “I didn’t drop any shots, which is always good on this course. You are going to miss a couple of shots out here – I did, but I had a pretty good recovery after that so I’m pleased.”

 

Former Madeira Islands Open and Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Uihlein was only level par at the turn, but the American birdied the tenth and 14th before a fine finish in which he holed from six feet at the 16th, almost holed out from a bunker on the 17th for eagle and rolled in a 15 footer at the last.

 

“Nice three in a row and four of the last five,” Uihlein said of his finish. “I’m definitely pleased. I played Thailand, and had to withdraw with food poisoning, then played one in Puerto Rico, and then I had a wrist injury and had to take some time off. Then I switched coaches, so I’ve had a strange six weeks or so.”

 

“I feel like I did a lot of things really, really well and I felt like I did some of my old habits and hit a couple squirrelers, but I’m pleased with five under, for sure,” added the very thrilled golfer.

 

An has made every cut so far in an impressive rookie campaign, and had four birdies and a bogey as well as his ace at the eighth, where his iron pitched a couple of feet from the pin and rolled in. Two-time Masters Champion Bubba Watson was part of a group on two under par, the American carding a hat-trick of gains from the fifth.

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