Brendan Smith grabs early lead in the first round of Nanshan China Masters on OneAsia Tour
Australian Brendan Smith is leading the first round of the $1million OneAsia Tour at the Nanshan China Masters being played at the Nanshan International Golf Club's Danling Cuiyuan course.
Many of the 156-man field have completed their 18 holes for the round, while some are still edging towards their final holes. Smith is leading the round so far with his near-perfect first round of six-under, 66. Another Australian Peter Wilson is outright
second for the moment, one shot behind the leader.
The young Aussies have, for the time being, taken over the strong Korean challenge posed by the blazing gun of the likes of Kim Dae-hyun also known as the “Big Foot” for his big hits off the tee. Kim finished his first round with a score of three-under,
69.
Opening up his round with a birdie on the front nine, Kim went ahead to bag three more birdies before making the turn. His back nine remained relatively quiet as the GS Caltex Maekyung Open winner carded just one birdie. His round included two bogeys which
caused him to slide down the leaderboard.
Meanwhile, Smith carded a bogey-free round of 66 and pulled in four stunning eagles to gain an early lead. He closed his opening nine with an eagle on the Par-4, 9th to edge past the contenders in the field. Wilson also posted a bogey free round
of five-under and bagged five birdies to close for 67.
Leigh McKechnie is another strong Aussie who is yet to complete his first round holes but is currently lying at four-under. Starting from back nine, he stumbled on a bogey at par-5, 15th but made the turn to card three consecutive birdies on the
front nine.
Only one Chinese player Ashun Wu broke in the lines of an otherwise Australian dominated first round, to finish for the third place with his four-under, 68.
Official sponsor of the event, the Nashan Group is eager to make the Nashan China Masters, one of the top ranked events on the OneAsia Tour.
"It is our great pleasure to host the very first Nanshan China Masters and we are confident that the event will become one of OneAsia's best tournaments in the years to come," said Song Jian Min, Board Chairman of the Nanshan Group.
China's Liang Wenchong, money list champion for the year 2010, is also pitched in for his fourth title win on the tour
Tags: