The Open: Mixed returns for Asians

The Asian contingent returned with mixed results at the end of round one of  The Open Championships at the  Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake yesterday. After making the turn in 34,  KJ Choi did not make a single par on his way back to the clubhouse – scoring four birdies interspersed with five bogeys to finish the day with an even par 72.  Thongchai Jaidee had no problem finding par, scoring as many as 16 in his 72 to join the group at T49. The best Asians on Thursday were Koumei Oda, Yoshinobu Tsukada and Hideki Matsuyama, who made 69 to get inside the top ten with seven other men, including Tiger Woods.

Oda got off to a rocky start – bogeys at the first two holes foretelling a miserable day, but he steadied himself to make a brilliant recovery. Oda made the turn on even terms with the course, before churning out four birdies on the back nine to account for a sweet start.

The highest ranked Asian player, Matsuyama was on a roll initially – needing just 32 shots to get through his outward march. He was slowed down by back to back bogeys at 12 & 13, but the Japanese earned back his losses with birdies at 16 & 18 to finish the day on his terms.

Tsukada had a bogey each on either side, but two birdies on the front and three more on the back nine gave the experienced Japanese a pleasant start to his campaign at The Open Championships. 33 year old Hiroshi Iwata made a double bogey at the second, but had no further blemish after that. He scored four birdies to finish well with a 70.

Kim Hyung-Sung was two under through thirteen holes, but a double bogey six at the par four 14^th hole sank him back to an even par 72. Choi suffered six bogies in the last ten holes, but also made four birdies to settle for an even par 72, after a diffident argument with the links at Hoylake.

Yusako Miyazato’s first round was highlighted by an eagle three at the par-5 10^th as he joined a large group of golfers in T49 with his card reading 72. Byeong-Hun An made 36 on either side to keep himself on even terms with the course.

Ryo Ishikawa made a 74 and as reported earlier, Anirban Lahiri struggled to find the fairways as he sank to three over 75. Keeping the Indian nervous company were – Hyung-Tae Kim and YE Yang who also made an equally unimpressive 75.

Report by Anand Datla

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