Rattanon steals the limelight at Myanmar Open
Yangon - Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan delivered a short game masterclass by firing a flawless six-under-par 65 to set the early pace at the US$750,000 Leopalace21 Myanmar Open on Thursday.
The 22-year-old Thai displayed the form that led him to his maiden victory on home soil last year by cruising through with a sparkling first round which was highlighted by six birdies at the Pun Hlaing Golf Club.
“The course conditions are almost similar to last year. The greens are very hard and fast. You got to be really accurate off the tee here,” said Rattanon who earned his maiden breakthrough on the Asian Tour with a wire-to-wire victory at his Thailand Open in May last year.
“I putted well and that was key. I’ve been practicing a lot off-season and changed the way I hit the ball. My ball flight is now different and I’m able to control the ball better now. I missed the cut by two shots last year and I hope to do better this week. I hope to end the year inside the top-10 on the Asian Tour Order of Merit,” added the Thai young gun who hit 16 greens in regulation and made a total of 29 putts on Thursday.
Myanmar’s Naing Naing Lin showed why he is the country’s top player when he returned with a 67 to trail Rattanon by two shots. He was among the five players bunched in tied-second place which also included 2016 Leopalace21 Myanmar Open champion Shaun Norris of South Africa.
“I played well but I was also lucky. I’ve been hitting the ball well. I hit 17 greens in regulation and only hit one shot into the bunker on six for a bogey. The Myanmar PGA organised several practice rounds for us before this week’s tournament and I’m happy I took full advantage of those practice sessions,” Lin said.
Lin, a father-of-two, believes it is his combination of skills and luck that brought him close to the leaderboard summit while Norris relished another happy return to Myanmar at the US$750,000 event which is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO).
Australia’s Kieran Pratt, who put aside his golf clubs and spent two years working in a construction company in Melbourne, delighted himself with a 68 to take a share of seventh place as he continues to rebuild his professional golf career.
The Australian is now hoping for a strong performance which can be the catalyst for him to return to the heights of 2012 when he won his lone Asian Tour title at the Myanmar Open.
Star attraction Ryo Ishikawa of Japan posted an opening 70 to take a share of 34th place, five shots back of Rattanon.
