Queen’s Cup: Lahiri, Himmat shoot even par in first round

SAMUI - Anirban Lahiri overcame a mid-round blip with a fine finish that included an eagle and a birdie over the last four holes to card an even par 71 in the first round of the Queen’s Cup golf on the Asian Tour here Thursday.

Also finishing at 71 at the Santiburi Samui Country Club was young Himmat Rai.

Lahiri and Himmat were tied at 34th, while C. Muniyappa and Rahil Gangjee shot one-over 72 each in tied 49th place. Gaurav Ghei went four-over 75 in tied 83rd place and Amandeep Johl was further down in 76 at 92nd place.

Thailands Kiradech Aphibarnrat soared on an eagles wings to tie Koreas Lee Sung for the first round lead. The 20-year-old talent showed he was over last weeks disappointment of finishing second in Malaysia by shooting a six-under-par 65.

Lahiri teed off from the tenth and found his birdie on the 12th, but gave that stroke back on the 15th to turn in even par. On the home stretch, which was the front nine of the course, Lahiri, bogeyed the first and double bogeyed the third at which stage he was three-over for the day.

Lahiri came back strongly with an eagle on the 15th and a birdie on the 18th to pull himself.

Himmat had three birdies, one bogey and one double in his 71.

Lee, who was born deaf, renewed his love-affair with the challenging course, nicknamed the Beast of Samui, by setting the pace in the morning with eight birdies against two bogeys.

Kiradechs compatriot Chinnarat Phadungsil, a two-time Asian Tour winner and still only 20, kept up the Thai assault with an equally impressive 66 for joint second place with Chinese Taipeis Sung Mao-chang and South African Jbe Kruger.

Last weeks Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters winner, Rick Kulacz of Australia, maintained his solid form, producing a 68 which left him three off the pace with amongst others, Mars Pucay of the Philippines, Englands Steven Tiley and Japans Yoshinobu Tsukada.