GOLD COAST, Australia: Australia’s Andrew Dodt carded eight birdies to be the clubhouse leader at a storm-hit Australian PGA Championship, with former winner Adam Scott three off the lead at Royal Pines on Thursday.
Two-time European Tour winner Dodt came home in 31 to be seven-under for the tournament after a 65 and hold a two-shot lead over New Zealander Ryan Fox and American Julian Suri.
American Harold Varner III made a late charge to five-under after four consecutive birdies and then another on the 13th before having to scurry for cover as a thunderstorm deluged the course and forced play to be abandoned for the day.
Almost half the field are still to complete their first round at will return at 5:00 am Friday, with the second round teeing off at 7:00 am.
World number seven Adam Scott, who has finished first and second in his last two appearances at Royal Pines, was in a group of players three shots off the lead.
Dodt started on the 10th and turned in 34 with three birdies and a bogey but came to life on the front nine.
He birdied the first, third and fifth to join a four-way tie for the lead and then broke away with closing gains on the eighth and ninth.
Starting on the back nine, Scott reached the par-five 12th in two and then rolled in a 40-foot putt to reach two under.
He had a bogey on the 18th but rallied to card three consecutive birdies at the seventh, eighth and ninth.
Australian Jarrod Lyle had a hole-in-one on the fifth hole with a seven iron from 179 yards with the ball bouncing just short of the green, taking two more hops before rolling into the hole.
The Aus$1.5 million dollar ($1.1 million) event, which is being co-sanctioned by the European Tour for the second season, marks the start of the 2017 Race to Dubai.
Randhawa shares lead
Local favorite Jyoti Randhawa fired three closing birdies to grab a share of the clubhouse lead at the weather-affected Panasonic Open India golf tournament in New Delhi on Thursday.
Randhawa finished with a five-under-par 67 along with compatriot Mukesh Kumar after the opening round of the $400,000 Asian Tour event which was delayed by thick fog for four hours in the morning before fading light brought an early end to the day’s proceedings.
Thailand’s Sutijet Kooratanapisan shot a 70 to sit in third place alongside a host of players who will return on Friday morning to complete their opening rounds.
Defending champion Chiragh Kumar of India returned with a 71 to stay four shots off the pace at the Delhi Golf Club.
Randhawa, the former Asian No.1 continued his recent run of fine form for a solid start at a venue where he has won four Asian Tour titles previously.
“This is one of my favorite golf courses. I have a lot of good memories,” said Randhawa, 44.
“I had a good finish to the round which was great. I have been playing a lot recently. I think that got me the good form,” said the golfer, who enjoyed a top-five finish in the Philippines last month.
Randhawa also said he used the fog disruption to grab a couple of hours’ sleep and a massage.
“I felt fresh when I started the round,” said the eight-time Asian Tour winner.
After turning in 35, Randhawa sank two birdies against a bogey before blasting three straight birdies from 16 for a back-nine 32.
Kumar, a local veteran who has won over 120 professional titles in his career, took advantage of his knowledge of the course to ensure a fine start.
“I made a good recovery from the bushes on the sixth where I drained a 15-footer for bogey,” said Kumar, who traded seven birdies against two bogeys.
Two-time European Tour winner Dodt came home in 31 to be seven-under for the tournament after a 65 and hold a two-shot lead over New Zealander Ryan Fox and American Julian Suri.
American Harold Varner III made a late charge to five-under after four consecutive birdies and then another on the 13th before having to scurry for cover as a thunderstorm deluged the course and forced play to be abandoned for the day.
Almost half the field are still to complete their first round at will return at 5:00 am Friday, with the second round teeing off at 7:00 am.
World number seven Adam Scott, who has finished first and second in his last two appearances at Royal Pines, was in a group of players three shots off the lead.
Dodt started on the 10th and turned in 34 with three birdies and a bogey but came to life on the front nine.
He birdied the first, third and fifth to join a four-way tie for the lead and then broke away with closing gains on the eighth and ninth.
Starting on the back nine, Scott reached the par-five 12th in two and then rolled in a 40-foot putt to reach two under.
He had a bogey on the 18th but rallied to card three consecutive birdies at the seventh, eighth and ninth.
Australian Jarrod Lyle had a hole-in-one on the fifth hole with a seven iron from 179 yards with the ball bouncing just short of the green, taking two more hops before rolling into the hole.
The Aus$1.5 million dollar ($1.1 million) event, which is being co-sanctioned by the European Tour for the second season, marks the start of the 2017 Race to Dubai.
Randhawa shares lead
Local favorite Jyoti Randhawa fired three closing birdies to grab a share of the clubhouse lead at the weather-affected Panasonic Open India golf tournament in New Delhi on Thursday.
Randhawa finished with a five-under-par 67 along with compatriot Mukesh Kumar after the opening round of the $400,000 Asian Tour event which was delayed by thick fog for four hours in the morning before fading light brought an early end to the day’s proceedings.
Thailand’s Sutijet Kooratanapisan shot a 70 to sit in third place alongside a host of players who will return on Friday morning to complete their opening rounds.
Defending champion Chiragh Kumar of India returned with a 71 to stay four shots off the pace at the Delhi Golf Club.
Randhawa, the former Asian No.1 continued his recent run of fine form for a solid start at a venue where he has won four Asian Tour titles previously.
“This is one of my favorite golf courses. I have a lot of good memories,” said Randhawa, 44.
“I had a good finish to the round which was great. I have been playing a lot recently. I think that got me the good form,” said the golfer, who enjoyed a top-five finish in the Philippines last month.
Randhawa also said he used the fog disruption to grab a couple of hours’ sleep and a massage.
“I felt fresh when I started the round,” said the eight-time Asian Tour winner.
After turning in 35, Randhawa sank two birdies against a bogey before blasting three straight birdies from 16 for a back-nine 32.
Kumar, a local veteran who has won over 120 professional titles in his career, took advantage of his knowledge of the course to ensure a fine start.
“I made a good recovery from the bushes on the sixth where I drained a 15-footer for bogey,” said Kumar, who traded seven birdies against two bogeys.
