Hangzhou, China: For Jang Yubin and Cho Woo-young, the stakes could hardly be higher at this week’s Hangzhou Asian Games golf tournament.
In what is likely to be their final appearance as amateurs, the talented Korean duo have more motivation than most to strike gold at the Westlake International Golf Club.
Should they succeed in achieving golden glory at the 19th Asiad, the 21-year-olds would be granted an exemption from national service – enabling them to pursue their professional golfing careers without a lull. It’s a prize that you can’t put a price on.
Driven on by that enticing prospect, Jang and Cho stormed out of the starting blocks in Hangzhou with eye-catching performances that left their PGA Tour team-mates Im Sung-jae and Kim Si-woo in the shade.
While Jang swept to the top of the leaderboard with a breathtaking 11-under-par 61 that included 12 birdies, Cho fired a 63 to gain a share of third place individually.
Thanks to their contributions and 66s from Im and Kim, Korea also soared into pole position in the team category.
In the event in which the best three daily scores in each team are counted, Korea’s 26-under first-round total of 190 puts them four in front of Singapore, for whom James Leow and Koh Dengshan both returned 64s.
Japan are currently in the bronze medal position on 195 followed by Thailand (197), Hong Kong, China and India (both 200), China (201), Chinese Taipei (203), Philippines (207) and Macau (208).
No fewer than 30 players in the 82-strong starting field bettered 70 while 47 broke par.
Leading the way was Jang, still on a high after playing a key role in the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation’s victory against the European Golf Association in last month’s Ryder Cup-style Bonallack Trophy in Spain.
He followed that up by winning the Gunsan CC Open, a professional tournament on the Korean PGA Tour at the end of August, a performance that saw him rise 19 places to 42nd in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).
In a stunning statement of intent in Hangzhou, Jang, teeing-off at 10.50 am local time from the first tee, snared birdies at each of the opening six holes. He picked up another stroke at the eighth and reached the turn in seven-under 29.
When he added a further birdie at 10, the prospect of a magical 59 came into focus. Those hopes, however, were stalled when he dropped a shot at the par-four 11th.
Refusing to be knocked out of his stride, Jang struck back with birdies at 12, 14, 15 and 17 to post a 61.
On a day of remarkable scoring, Hong Kong, China’s Taichi Kho shot a bogey-free 62 to take sole possession of second place with Cho in a share of third spot with China’s Chen Guxin and Japan’s Masato Sumiuchi.
Among five players in equal ninth on 65 is seasoned Indian professional Anirban Lahiri who was threatening top spot when he made his fifth birdie in a row at 17 to move to nine-under. However, the wind was taken out of his sails when he made a double-bogey six at 18.
Leading First-Round Scores, Individual
61 – Jang Yubin (Korea)
62 – Taichi Kho (Hong Kong, China)
63 – Cho Woo-young (Korea); Chen Guxin (China); Masato Sumiuchi (Japan)
64 – Phachara Khongwatmai (Thailand); James Leow (Singapore); Koh Dengshan (Singapore)
65 – Anirban Lahiri (India); Taichiro Ideriha (Japan); Clyde Mondilla (Philippines); Siddikur Rahman (Bangladesh); Hung Chien-yao (Chinese Taipei)
Full First-Round Scores, Teams
190 – Korea
194 – Singapore
195 – Japan
197 – Thailand
200 – Hong Kong, China; India
201 – China
203 – Chinese Taipei
207 – Philippines
208 – Macau
209 – Vietnam
212 – Nepal
213 – Sri Lanka
219 – Qatar
222 – Saudi Arabia; Laos
226 – Pakistan
237 – United Arab Emirates; Kazakhstan
261 – Mongolia
