DANNY CHIA TAKES FIRST-ROUND LEAD IN SELANGOR

NEWS RELEASE

Shah Alam, Selangor: Malaysian ace Danny Chia overcame a stiff neck by shooting a bogey-free five-under-par 67 to take the opening round lead at the PGM Northport Glenmarie Classic today.

 

Chia posted five birdies, four of which came on his homeward nine, for a one-shot lead over an in-form James Bowen of the United States, who won his first Asian Development Tour (ADT) title in Malaysia two weeks ago.

 

Malaysians Iain Steel and Kenneth De Silva shared third on matching 69s in the year’s third ADT event staged at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club with a prize fund of US$65,000 (approximately RM200,000).

 

Chia, a winner on the Asian Tour, admits he was fortunate to return with his score despite pulling a muscle during warm-up.

 

“I’m quite fortunate to come out with my score. I went to see a doctor after my round and my neck isn’t so stiff now. I’ve been working with my coach in the last five months so I’m striking the ball a bit better,” said the 40-year-old.

 

“The golf course is in good condition but the greens are a bit challenging. When you miss on the wrong side of the green, you will have a difficult chance of getting up-and-down,” added Chia.

 

Bowen, the current ADT Order of Merit leader, took advantage of a ‘phenomenal’ short game as he launched his bid to notch a unique Malaysian double.

 

“I hit it all over the place but my putter was just red hot. When I had a birdie putt I made them. My short game was absolutely phenomenal. My confidence is just very high at the moment,” said Bowen.

 

The Official World Golf Ranking will be used to determine the field when golf makes a return to the Olympics in Rio De Janeiro in 2016.

 

All winners on the ADT will receive a minimum of six world ranking points while the top-six players and ties will earn points based on a sliding scale.

 

First round scores

Par 72

67 - Danny CHIA (MAS)

68 - James BOWEN (USA)

69 - Iain STEEL (MAS) , Kenneth DE SILVA (MAS)

70 - Michael BIBAT (PHI) , CHANG Tse-Peng (TPE) , S. Murthy (MAS) , Grant JACKSON (ENG) , Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA)

71 - George GANDRANATA (INA) , Mitsuhiko HASHIZUME (JPN) , Mohamad Azman BASHARUDIN (MAS) , PARK Il-hwan (KOR) , Mars PUCAY (PHI) , Ryan BULLOCH (AUS) , George THACKER (ENG) , Blake MCGRORY (AUS) , Takuya YAMAUCHI (JPN)

72 - KOH Deng Shan (SIN) , Rizal AMIN (MAS) , Prin SIRISOMMAI (THA) , Mitchell SLORACH (SIN) , R. Nachimuthu (MAS) , Akhmal TARMIZEE (MAS)

73 - Adam SHAW (MAS) , S. Siva Chandhran (MAS) , Kazumi TAKAHASHI (JPN) , Clarke LUTTON (SCO) , Nicholas FUNG (MAS) , Lindsay RENOLDS (CAN) , Shaifubari MUDA (MAS) , Chirat JIRASUWAN (THA) , Masaru TAKAHASHI (JPN) , Jakraphan PREMSIRIGORN (THA) , Daniel BRINGOLF (AUS) , Ratchapol JANTAVARA (THA) , A. Sasar (MAS)

 

Ends.