Nitithorn Thippong’s season just brightened up considerably after he holed out from a greenside bunker for a battling par on the 18th to seize the first-round lead in the US$2 million Link Hong Kong Open.
The Thai golfer, a three-time winner on the Asian Tour but enduring one of his worst seasons, shot a morale-boosting eight-under-par 62.
Defending champion Ben Campbell from New Zealand, Australian Kevin Yuan and Japan’s Kazuki Higa are next best placed following 63s, in the third from last event of the season on both the Asian Tour and The International Series.
Indian Rashid Khan and Korea’s Jaewoong Eom fired 64s – here at the Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling.
Nitithorn goes by the nickname “Fever” and lived up to that billing with a red-hot round made up of an eagle, seven birdies and one bogey.
It did look like his day would be spoiled when he hit his second into a bunker on the par-four last, and then failed to get out from a plugged lie. However, facing the prospect of a double or worse he proceeded to hole his fourth to loud cheers from the large gallery.
“I shanked that second shot on 18 after a great drive,” said the 28 year old.
"On the first bunker shot the lie was just too bad but the next one I calmed myself down, it was great to hole it. The key for me today was to make myself flow and stick with the plan. That’s all I did today, and it really worked. I pushed myself too much early on but then settled down, I have been thinking too much about my golf and my swing. I have had a problem with my mental game this year.”
He has also been pre-occupied with thoughts of his father as he suffered a stroke recently, but the Thai star says he is on the mend.
Lying in 81st place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit he needs an exceptional week here and next week, at the International Series Qatar, to book his place in the season-ending PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Advisers, which is exempt for the top-30.
His most recent victory came at last year’s Mandiri Indonesia Open, which with its two-year exemption means he is not worried about losing his card next year.
Campbell famously holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole here last year to edge Australian Cam Smith by one and picked up where he left off today. He also birdied the 18th once more, although that was midway through his round as he started on the back nine.
Persistent rain all week, which meant yesterday’s Pro-Ams had to be cancelled, has left the course very wet under foot. With little roll on the ball competitors are facing a very different golf course.
“I said to Mike my caddy, you know, we sort of have to forget everything about this course,” said Campbell.
“Prior knowledge and how we played it last year goes out of the window because my driver wasn't going anywhere near as fast, everything was just stopping.
“So, yeah, I think it was just one of those days you just had to sort of play the course right in front of you and be pretty aggressive. Because, yeah, obviously you weren't bouncing off into bad places or anything.”
His win last year was his first on the Asian Tour and has been something of a turning point in his career. In July he claimed the International Series Morocco and along with a host of other strong outings he is currently fourth on both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings.
He added: “I think my driving and putting are important around here, I didn't miss a fairway today. I've been driving the ball really well lately and then you know, I managed to hole a few good putts on the back nine. I think that's going to be the key out there.”
With only three events remaining this season, including this week, the 33-year-old from Queenstown needs a prolific finish to catch American John Catlin on the Asian Tour Merit list but The International Series Rankings – which sees the winner earn a prized place on next year’s LIV Golf League – is wide open. Catlin also leads the rankings.
Yuan is at the other end of the Merit list. Sitting in 56th place he is in a fight to keep his Tour card for next year, as the top 65 retain their playing privileges.
Yuan said: “It has definitely been on my mind. Playing the Asian Tour for the past couple of years, it is such a strong Tour. I haven’t been playing my best, as the results have shown. It is a huge goal to play well this week and hopefully next week to secure my card.”
He started the season promisingly by finishing fifth in the Malaysian Open, for one of his finest finishes on the Asian Tour – his best is equal second in last year’s International Series Vietnam – but he’s struggled to replicate that form since.
“I am very happy with how I played today,” he added.
“I started off pretty strong, with a birdie on the first and third and had opportunities on four and five. I was rolling the putter well. It’s been pretty good and then I tried to keep it in the fairway for the last stretch.”
Hong Kong number one Taichi Kho signed for a respectable 67, England’s Justin Rose, who won here in 2015, carded a 69, while Korean Tom Kim – making his first appearance on the Asian Tour in two and a half years – returned a 71.
“I played so well today, but missed so many putts on the edge,” said the 22-year-old Kim, now a three-time winner on the PGA Tour.
“Really nothing I could do, played really well. Ended up one over, but didn’t feel like one over. Just gotta keep going at it.”
The two Malaysians in the field this week, Ervin Chang and Shahriffuddin Ariffin, posted scores of 73 and 77 to be T112 and 130th position respectively.
