Charlie Lindh from Sweden plus Australians Jed Morgan and Maverick Antcliff impressed at the International Series Thailand today shooting blazing seven-under-par 63s to take the first-round lead at Thai Country Club, in Bangkok.
They lead from Americans Peter Uihlein and Paul Peterson, Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang and Lee Chieh-po, China’s Sampson Zheng, and Richard T. Lee from Canada, who fired 64s.
Lindh is a graduate from this year’s Asian Tour Qualifying School – he earned the sixth card – and has gradually been finding his feet in the region this year, as highlighted by today’s strong round of seven birdies and no dropped shots.
Said the 27-year-old, who started on the back nine: “It felt easy. We had a good plan coming in today, and I had a great start, right away, and I had a good feeling, and just kept going. Steve [his caddie] made a couple of great calls on our back nine, which is the front, which held the score together.”
He is currently 45th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, having made seven cuts out of the 12 events he has started. He tied for 10th in the Yeangder TPC last month for his best finish of the season so far and enjoyed the biggest pay day of his career a month earlier at the International Series England, were he was joint 13th. He won US$28,350 there.
The good run of form comes despite an injury concern.
“I’ve been having some issue with my wrists,” said the Swede, who qualified for The Open this year, the first time he has played in a Major, but missed the cut.
“I haven’t practiced the way I want to but it’s getting better and better, and I do get a lot of help from the physio – which I appreciate very much. And so everything’s been getting better.”
Like Lindh, Morgan is also playing his first full season on the Asian Tour – off the back of a number of invites last year thanks to an outstanding 2022 that saw him win the Australian PGA Championship and the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
He stormed through with four birdies in a row from the 13th.
“Very happy with the way I putted obviously,” said Morgan.
“And also very pleased with my approach shots. The back nine especially felt nice – it was good to see a few putts in a row go in.
“Not sure I would say it [today] was a return to form because I have felt good about my game for a while now. I have been happy with my game, but I just haven’t been producing any results.”
After his round Uihlein, winner of the International Series England in August, said he still has one eye on winning The International Series Rankings.
He is currently seventh on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and third on The International Series Rankings. His countryman John Catlin is the runaway leader on both rankings, particularly after finishing second at last week’s Black Mountain Championship – where he was beaten by compatriot Michael Maguire in a sudden-death play-off.
“The Asian Tour [Order of Merit] is probably not gettable with John [Catlin] ahead,” said Uihlein, who plays for RangeGoats GC on the LIV Golf League.
“I think he’s pulled ahead pretty far away on The International Series one as well, but I feel like I could still be like …. I’d have to win this week, really, because John played great last week.”
He’s over 2,000 points behind Catlin on the Asian Tour Merit list, but 362.78 back on The International Series Rankings.
The 35-year-old was delighted with his round, made up of six birdies and zero bogeys, even though he wasn’t confident with his irons.
“A miracle!” said the American, who tied for 44th in last week’s Black Mountain Championship – also part of The International Series.
“I didn’t know what to do half the time I was in the fairway. So yeah, it was good off the tee. It was fantastic. Holed the putts when I hit it close and, you know, that’s what you got to do.
“It’s just, I like, visually, it’s a pretty looking course. Reminds me a bit of Florida.”
Maguire, still on a high after his win on Sunday fired a 67, as did defending champion Wade Ormsby from Australia, while Catlin has work to do following a 70.
This week’s US$2 million event is part of an exciting climax to the season on the Asian Tour. It’s the 16th event of the year with five events remaining, and the sixth of 10 stops on The International Series – 10 upper-tier multi-million dollar tournaments that are part of the Tour that will see its rankings winner secure a place on the LIV Golf League.
Scores after round 1 of the International Series Thailand being played at Thai Country Club, a par-70, 7,199-yard course.
(am – denotes amateur):
63 – Charlie Lindh (SWE), Jed Morgan (AUS), Maverick Antcliff (AUS).
64 – Peter Uihlein (USA), Chan Shih-chang (TPE), Lee Chieh-po (TPE), Richard T. Lee (CAN), Paul Peterson (USA), Sampson Zheng (CHN).
65 – Santiago De la Fuente (MEX), Gaganjeet Bhullar (IND), Leon D’Souza (HKG), Jaewoong Eom (KOR), Chris Wood (ENG), Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA), Ben Campbell (NZL), David Boriboonsub (THA), Suteepat Prateeptienchai (THA), Travis Smyth (AUS), Kosuke Hamamoto (THA), Nirun Sae-ueng (THA).
66 – Christian Banke (USA), Karandeep Kochhar (IND), Kyongjun Moon (KOR), Jbe Kruger (RSA), Ho Yu-cheng (TPE), Ahmad Baig (PAK), Kammalas Namuangruk (THA), Chapchai Nirat (THA), Zach Murray (AUS), Austen Truslow (USA), Jeunghun Wang (KOR), Tatsunori Shogenji (JPN).
67 – Andrew Dodt (AUS), Bjorn Hellgren (SWE), Suradit Yongcharoenchai (THA), Trevor Simsby (USA), Chanmin Jung (KOR), Wade Ormsby (AUS), Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA), Branden Grace (RSA), Faisal Salhab (KSA), Kazuki Higa (JPN), Sam Horsfield (ENG), Steve Lewton (ENG), Kazuma Kobori (NZL), Michael Maguire (USA), Jose Toledo (GTM), Miguel Tabuena (PHI), Nick Voke (NZL), Settee Prakongvech (THA), Gunn Charoenkul (THA), Chen Guxin (CHN), Carlos Pigem (ESP), Scott Fernandez (ESP), Liu Yanwei (CHN).
68 – Itthipat Buranatanyarat (THA), Nattawat Suvajanakorn (THA), Harrison Crowe (AUS), Tobias Jonsson (SWE), Kristoffer Broberg (SWE), Danthai Boonma (THA), Kieran Vincent (ZIM), Nitithorn Thippong (THA), Poom Saksansin (THA), Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (IND), Chonjarern Baramithanaseth (THA), Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA), Luke Kwon (KOR), Berry Henson (USA), Veer Ahlawat (IND), Justin Quiban (PHI).
69 – Aaron Wilkin (AUS), Tomoyo Ikemura (JPN), Jaco Ahlers (RSA), Rayhan Thomas (IND), Charng-Tai Sudsom (THA), Kevin Yuan (AUS), Shiv Kapur (IND), Chanat Sakulpolphaisan (THA), Sihwan Kim (USA), Marcus Fraser (AUS), Prom Meesawat (THA), Phachara Khongwatmai (THA), Stefano Mazzoli (ITA), Jinichiro Kozuma (JPN), Natipong Srithong (THA), Todd Sinnott (AUS), Chonlatit Chuenboonngam (THA), Ekpharit Wu (THA), Ryan Van Velzen (RSA), Runchanapong Youprayong (THA), Ian Snyman (RSA), Jack Thompson (AUS), Hung Chien-yao (TPE), Tanapat Pichaikool (THA), Liu Yen-hung (TPE), Pawin Ingkhapradit (THA).
70 – Amarin Kraivixien (THA), Minhyeok Yang (KOR), Jared Du Toit (CAN), Atiruj Winaicharoenchai (THA), Jazz Janewattananond (THA), Honey Baisoya (IND), Khalid Walid Attieh (KSA), Jonathan Wijono (INA), Justin Warren (AUS), Varun Chopra (IND), David Meyers (RSA), Ervin Chang (MAS), Sarun Sirithon (THA), Will Marshall (ENG), John Catlin (USA), Nopparat Panichphol (THA), Lachlan Barker (AUS).
71 – Yosuke Asaji (JPN), Scott Vincent (ZIM), Pattaraphol Khanthacha (THA), David Drysdale (SCO), Danny Lee (NZL), Siddikur Rahman (BAN), Lion Park (KOR), Douglas Klein (AUS), Siwakorn Kriangkrai (am, THA), Sangmoon Bae (KOR), S.S.P. Chawrasia (IND), Miguel Carballo (ARG), Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND), Tirawat Kaewsiribandit (THA).
72 – Naoki Sekito (JPN), Junggon Hwang (KOR), Sam Brazel (AUS), Manav Shah (USA), Poosit Supupramai (THA), Matt Killen (ENG).
73 – Saud Al Sharif (KSA), Chikkarangappa S. (IND), Younghan Song (KOR), Shahriffuddin Ariffin (MAS), Othman Almulla (KSA), Oliver Fisher (ENG), Mardan Mamat (SIN).
74 – William Harrold (ENG), Scott Hend (AUS).
75 – Chang Wei-lun (TPE), Mingyu Cho (KOR).
76 – Deyen Lawson (AUS).
77 – Ye Wocheng (CHN).
80 – Mac Boucher (CAN).
Sarit Suwannarut, Thailand – RT
