India’s Khalin Joshi overcame strong winds and a demanding golf course to claim the first-round lead in The Singapore International at Tanah Merah Country Club on Thursday. Joshi rattled off seven birdies in his 5-under par 67, with England’s William Harrold two shots further back in the US$1 million event, which is the penultimate tournament of the 2020-21 season on the Asian Tour. India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu and American Paul Peterson both carded 2-under par 70s, while Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Pavit Tangkamoprasert, Taiwan’s Chan Shih-chang, and South African Mathiam Keyser all finished 1-under. Australian Wade Ormsby, the current leader of the Asian Tour Order of Merit, was in a large group of players who finished level-par on a day when winds reached 35km/h. “It was obviously a very challenging golf course to start off with; it’s long, it’s windy and the flags were all tough, so it wasn’t very easy, greens are firm,” Joshi said. “So, I’m just very pleased with the way I’m playing and with the way my round went today. Hopefully we can continue with the way I’m playing and see what happens at the end of the week. “The key is to stay patient and whenever you have the chance to capitalise, whenever you have chances to make birdies to capitalise, and you know, just enjoy the set because it’s going to be a long week for sure.” As it stands after Round 1 of The Singapore International🇸🇬 67 - @KhalinJoshi 69 - @swingingfarmer 70 - @ajeeteshsandhu 70 - @PPetersonGolf 71 - @jazzjanegolf 71 - Chan Shih-chang 71 - Pavit Tangkamolprasert 71 - @KeyserMG https://t.co/cCeKHcTY5v #SGInternational pic.twitter.com/nIjVQjLfpI — Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) January 13, 2022 Harrold’s round was far more eventful than Joshi’s, and included an eagle, four birdies, and three bogeys. “I hadn’t played much golf,” the journeyman pro said. “I haven’t played on the Asian Tour for ages, and this is a big event, so it just got into my head a little. I have been playing quite good last year, I was playing in England. And I have tended to play reasonably well when I have played on the Asian Tour. I was really happy just to get in.” Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Jazz, coming off a five-week break, was content with his round after birdieing his final two holes. “I was a bit rusty on the front nine and holed a couple of good putts but missed some really easy ones as well,” he said. “All in all, it was a pretty good round on a tough Tampines course. “I think we only had one hole today without the wind. But I think we are playing the same conditions as the afternoon – it’s pretty tough.”
