SINGAPORE, November 10, 2011 (AFP) - Edoardo Molinari and James Morrison shrugged off sweltering conditions to upstage a star-studded field Thursday as they sizzled to nine-under-par 62s for the Singapore Open's joint first round lead.
As temperatures topping 33 degrees Celsius (91 Fahrenheit) turned players a deep shade of pink, the unheralded duo left a field dotted with major-winners in the shade as they tore up Sentosa island's par-71 Tanjong course.
Molinari went on a 10-birdie blitz, blemished only by a lone bogey, while Morrison turned at four-under before adding another six on his last nine holes, dropping his only shot at the par-three 16th.
Asia's only major-winner, 2009 PGA Championship title-holder Y.E. Yang, was just one shot back in lone second place but it was a torrid day for the US$6 million event's other big names on Singapore's dual lay-outs.
Phil Mickelson was frustrated by a level-par 71, Graeme McDowell was three under and Ernie Els was two over. Retief Goosen and Colin Montgomerie were the closest of the established stars on four under.
Mickelson was lobster-red as he came off the course while Molinari was drenched in sweat after signing for his score, which raised his hopes of ending a winless year on a high.
"As you can see, I'm wet. Sometimes it's difficult because it's so warm and humid that it's almost difficult to breathe sometimes," said the Italian.
"But after a while you get used to it and it's the same for everyone, so I can't complain."
Morrison, who is in just his second year on the European Tour and is more used to chilly temperatures in his home country of Britain, also took time to adjust to the balmy conditions.
"After (hole) 14 or 15 it felt very, very hot. It is getting cold back home now so it's a bit of a culture shock," said the Englishman. "I'm getting used to it now so it wasn't too bad."
And Yang, who is searching for his first win of the year after ditching his coach in favour of picking up tips on YouTube, said he was sweating so much that he had to keep drying his hands with a towel.
"I was sweating like a pig. I had to use a towel quite a few times before I teed off," said the South Korean.
"First few shots I made were quite bad and it was disappointing, first par five I could not make birdie there. But I think it was good that I got all those bad shots out of my system early on."
Despite its large purse the Singapore Open, now in its 50th year, is facing stiff competition from a glut of big-money tournaments competing for attention in the Asia-Pacific region.
It is taking place at the same time as the Australian Open, featuring 14-time major-winner Tiger Woods, and follows back-to-back events in Shanghai that offered combined prize money of US$12 million.
The bumper, 204-player field will shoot a round each on Sentosa's Serapong and Tanjong courses, both par-71, but the weekend action will all take place on the Serapong lay-out.
Japan's Daisuke Maruyama occupied fourth spot on seven-under-par 64 while deaf South Korean Lee Sung was among a group of four players sharing fifth spot.
First-round scores from the US$6 million Singapore Open at the par-71 Serapong and Tanjong courses on Thursday:
62 - James Morrison (ENG), Edoardo Molinari (ITA)
63 - Y.E. Yang (KOR)
64 - Daisuke Maruyama (JPN)
65 - Atthaphon Prathumanee (THA), Jbe Kruger (RSA), Rahil Gangjee (IND), Lee Sung (KOR)
66 - Oliver Fisher (ENG), Christian Nilsson (SWE), Lin Wen-tang (TPE), Peter Karmis (RSA), Thongchai Jaidee (THA), Jeev Milkha Singh (IND), Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (ESP), Lam Chih Bing (SIN), Miles Tunnicliff (ENG), Lam Zhiqun (SIN), Tom Lewis (ENG), Juvic Pagunsan (PHI), Zaw Moe (MYN), Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN)
67 - Colin Montgomerie (SCO), Thomas Aiken (RSA), Michael Hoey (NIR), Rikard Karlberg (SWE), Daniel Chopra (SWE), Scott Hend (AUS), Jamie Donaldson (WAL), Shane Lowry (IRL), Retief Goosen (RSA)
Selected:
68 - Graeme McDowell (NIR), Nick Dougherty (ENG)
69 - Padraig Harrington (IRL), Thomas Bjorn (DEN), Justin Rose (ENG)
70 - Anthony Kim (USA)
71 - Camilo Villegas (COL), Phil Mickelson (USA)
72 - Ernie Els (RSA), Louis Oosthuizen (RSA)
73 - Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP)