HONG KONG, Jan 16, 2013 (HK Golfer News Wire) - Stewart who gave up playing on the Asian Tour back in 2008 to start up a golf company is back to playing some of the best golf of his life. “I hit the ball really nicely today and only missed my first green on the 16th and I happened to hole that putt from the fringe. I switched to the claw grip about 6 months ago and since then my putting has improved so much. The greens are absolutely perfect and of course, being a member of Fanling, I am very familiar with the course which obviously gave me a bit of an advantage.”
Stewart whose best finish in the Ageas Hong Kong PGA Championship was a second place in 2004 is bidding to become the first local professional to win this event since 2004 when Dominique Boulet won. “I am playing with some confidence but we have a very good leaderboard full of Asian Tour players so I will have to be on my game tomorrow at Kau Sai Chau,” said the 37 year old Stewart.
Defending champion Unho Park shot a 3 under par round of 67 to sit just 1 shot behind Stewart. The Singapore based Australian had 4 birdies and only 1 bogey in his round. “I didn’t hit the ball very well to start as I only hit 5 greens in the first 13 holes but my short game saved me. I was going along steadily but then started hitting a few good iron shots at the end and managed to make 3 birdies in my last 5 holes to give myself a chance tomorrow. I don’t remember Kau Sai Chau very well and James obviously knows it very well so he will be tough to catch.”
First round leader Ross Bain struggled mightily on the fast and tricky Fanling greens to shoot a 4 over par 74 and fall 5 shots behind.
Tournament favorite Scott Barr shot a second consecutive 1 under par round to be in third place at 2 under par alongside fellow Singapore resident Lam Chih Bing. “I injured my neck snowboarding and it has taken some time to get right,” explained Choy. “I feel good now and it is a good position to be in after the first day. I made a bad decision for a double bogey on the 13th when I was a little bit too aggressive with a nine iron but apart from that I played solid.”
Choy finished just ahead of compatriot Wong Woon Man who ended the day tied for third after a bogey on the last left him at one over for the tournament with Singaporean Lam Chih Bing, Australia’s Unho Park and Hong Kong-based Welshman David Freeman.
Australia’s 1990 US PGA Championship winner Wayne Grady – back at the Ageas Hong Kong PGA Championship for the third consecutive year – fired a four-over-par 74 on a day where the majority of the field struggled with the wind and intermittent rain.
