Pre-tournament favourite Zhang Lianwei of China failed to master the windy conditions and fast, undulating greens during the first round of the US$200,000 Orient Masters in Xiamen yesterday and slumped to a two-over-par 74.
Zhang, who has a fine record in events on home soil, played well from tee to green in the joint-sanctioned event between the Omega Tour and the China PGA Tour, but his putts just did not drop.
He lies four shots behind joint leaders Park No-seok of South Korea and American Brian Quinn.
While the majority of the field struggled over the 7048-yard layout at the Orient Golf and Country Club, Park dropped just one shot when he three-putted from 40 feet at the second hole. In contrast Quinn had seven birdies and five bogeys in a rollercoaster round.
'I am very satisfied with my round particularly as this is my first tournament of the year,' said Park, winner of the Philip Morris Asia Cup on the 1997 Omega Tour.
Zhang topped the 1995 and 1997 Volvo China Tours and had hoped to move up from fourth place on the Omega Order of Merit with victory at the Orient Masters.