Randy Bintang seized an early advantage at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) at Taiehiyo Club Gotemba to lead by one after Thursday’s first round.
The 20-year-old Indonesian, playing early in the morning wave, birdied four of his last six holes on his way to a five-under-par round of 65. The only blemish on his card came with a bogey at the 10th, but overall, Bintang was pleased with his round.
“This is the biggest amateur tournament I have ever played and this is my third here,” he said. “I'm just starting to play my best. I'm pretty proud because my putting was really good today. I'm really pleased with my game and the chance to play with the best players in the world.”
AAC academy showing progress
Bintang has previously participated in the AAC Academy, a program that supports players from emerging golfing nations with additional coaching, training and guidance.
Wang Ngai Shen is one shot back from the lead at four-under. The 21-year-old from Hong Kong, China raced out to three-under after six holes and sandwiched his only bogey of the day on the 13th with birdies at the 10th and the 15th.
“This is a tough course, not easy. I mean, today, I played really good. My driver is really good, and I hit lots of fairways. My putting is hot, I had birdies from two and three feet, and at hole 6, the most difficult hole, my driver was really good. I drove it like 340, and the second shot, I only had 115 downwind, and my pitching wedge, I had like 20 feet and I made it.”
Home hopes start strong
In a strong opening by the Japanese contingent Rintaro Nakano and Taishi Moto also finished four-under to sit one off the lead. Nakano had a fantastic start with an eagle at the par-five third hole and picked up birdies at the ninth and 13th to card a 66. Starting at the 10th, Moto dropped a shot at his first hole and then looked to be in trouble when he double-bogeyed the par-4 16th, his seventh hole, but he bounced back with a birdie at the 17th and then produced five birdies on his back nine to move back up the leaderboard.
Their countrymen Koichiro Furuse and Shu Fukuzumi finished at three-under alongside last year’s runner-up and World No. 5 Wenyi Ding of China, Chinese Taipei’s Chi-Chu Chen and Kent Hsiao, Sungyeop Cho of Korea and Rizq Adam Rohizam of Malaysia. Defending champion Jasper Stubbs from Australia is two-over.
A Championship record of 40 different countries and territories teed off on Thursday, topping a previous record of 39.
