The skies were grey, but the brilliant golf shone through in the opening round of the fourth Selangor International Junior Golf Championship.
Korean Jung Ji Won and Vietnam’s Le Chuc An signed in the low rounds of the day, 5-under 67s, to top the individual boys’ and individual girls’ standings respectively at Seri Selangor Golf Club in Petaling Jaya.
Jung’s superb round included an eagle at the par-five 18th hole, five birdies and two bogeys.
He leads the boys’ individual event by three shots from Singapore’s Keeshaun Tan (70) and Shinichi Suzuki of the Philippines (70), who was runner-up in the last edition.
Malaysia’s Anson Yeo, Korean Kang Geon (representing UUM International School Melaka), Thailand’s Thanattasorn Supinraj and another Filipino, Miko Granada, are in joint fourth place after opening with rounds of 71.
The Philippines team, comprising Suzuki, Granada, Tristan Padilla (77) and Santino Pineda (79), leads the race for the boys’ team title with a combined score of 2-over 218 (based on the best three out of four daily scores).
They lead UUM International School Melaka (UUMISM) A, made up of Kang, Kevin Sun Woo Sung, Muhammad Danial Nazari and Anis Dylan Sinno, and the Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) quartet of Yeo, Nathan Wong, Andrew Yap and Ezekiel Riz Hafi Suzearitz, by one shot.
The girls’ event meanwhile saw Le storm to the fore with seven birdies against two bogeys, her 67 being three shots better than Japan’s Mana Yoshizaki (70). Thailand's Sarisa Pojanalai lies third following an even-par 72, one shot ahead of another Japanese, Yuka Nishina (73).
Yoshizaki and Nishina powered Japan to a commanding five-shot lead in the girls’ team event, combining with compatriots Rui Hatada (74) and Tsukiha Nakashima (74) for a 1-over 217 first day score.
The Thai team of Pojanalai, Chutimon Rujiranan, Satonkan Thiengsri and Krittiya Thanintomdamrongdej are second with a 6-over 222 total, a massive eight shots clear of Team India (Saanvi Somu, Prarthana Khanna, Rashi Mishra, Aahana Kashyap).