Published July 17, 2008 on July 4, 2018

American Peterson Takes First Round Lead of Sarawak Championship

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A recharged Paul Peterson of the United States fired a superb nine-under-par 63 to take a two-shot lead in the opening round of the Sarawak Championship on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old is playing in his second event since taking a six-week break from golf and produced his low round score on the Asian Tour highlighted by nine birdies at the picturesque Damai Golf and Country Club.

Mark Brown of New Zealand, who won back-to-back Asian Tour titles in 2008, trailed in second place following a 65 at the inaugural US$300,000 Asian Tour event.

The in-form Jazz Janewattananond, winner of last week’s Queen’s Cup, was a further shot back in third place alongside countryman Peradol Panyathanasedh, Mitchell Slorach of Singapore, Javi Colomo of Spain and Berry Henson of the United States.

Peterson, ranked eighth on the Asian Tour’s Habitat for Humanity Standings, won his first Asian Tour title at the Leopalace21 Myanmar Open in January but struggled to repeat his winning form after feeling burned out from playing too much golf.

Playing on a sponsor’s invitation, the 43-year-old Brown, whose wife Mikayla was on his bag, did not miss a single green in regulation as he stayed within striking distance of Peterson.

Thai rising star Jazz continued his fine form by returning with a bogey-free round to stay on track for a second successive Asian Tour victory.

Scores after round 1   

63 – Paul PETERSON (USA).

65 – Mark BROWN (NZL).

66 – Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA), Peradol PANYATHANASEDH (THA), Mitchell SLORACH (SIN), Javi COLOMO (ESP), Berry HENSON (USA).

67 – Johannes VEERMAN (USA), Sihwan KIM (USA), Kevin LEE (KOR), Scott VINCENT (ZIM), John CATLIN (USA), Danthai BOONMA (THA), LIU Yanwei (CHN).

68 – Himmat RAI (IND), Malcolm KOKOCINSKI (SWE), Khalin JOSHI (IND), Ajeetesh SANDHU (IND), Amir NAZRIN (MAS), Arie IRAWAN (MAS), Daniel FOX (AUS), John Michael O’TOOLE (USA), Michael TRAN (VNM), Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA), Siddikur RAHMAN (BAN), Nicholas FUNG (MAS), Natipong SRITHONG (THA), Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND), Gareth PADDISON (NZL), Jason KNUTZON (USA), Thammanoon SRIROJ (THA).