JAKARTA, March 22, 2012 (AFP) - New Zealand's David Smail showed no signs of rustiness after a three-month break to take the clubhouse lead after the first round of the $1 million Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open on Thursday.
He fired a four-under-par 68 at Emeralda Golf Club in the first event of the new OneAsia season, with China's Liang Wenchong, second in Jakarta in 2010, and Australian Rohan Blizard carding 69s.
Six players were unable to complete their rounds as play was suspended at 6.15pm due to bad light.
Smail has not played in a tournament since December's Australian Masters, but the rest appears to have done him good.
"I haven't played for a couple of months so I am delighted to have started so well, particularly on what is a very tough golf course," said the towering Smail.
"You have to drive it well and I hit most of the fairways."
The narrow fairways, thick rough and windy conditions turned Emeralda into a difficult layout, but Smail got the better of it making five birdies and dropping just one shot.
He started his round on the back nine with birdies on 10 and 11, and later repeated that feat with birdies on one and two.
Liang made a birdie on his final hole for an encouraging finish on the event that is co-sanctioned with the Japan Tour.
"I am excited to be playing this week as I really want to win on the Japan Tour. I have been paying more attention to physical training in the winter and I am hoping that will pay off as the season progresses," said Liang.
Completed first-round scores:
Par 72
68 - David Smail (NZ)
69 - Liang Wenchong (CHN), Rohan Blizard (AUS)
70 - Ashley Hall (AUS), Kim Meen-Whee (KOR), Lee Dong-Min (KOR) Kazuhiro Yamashita (JPN), Hiroyuki Fujita (JPN), Yoshikazu Haku (JPN), Kim Seung-Hyuk (KOR)
71 - Andik Mauludin (INA), Jay Choi (USA), Mamo Osanai (JPN), Chawalit Plaphol (THA), Jamie Arnold (AUS), Park Jae-Bum (KOR), Satoshi Tomiyama (JPN)
72 - Lee Seong-Ho (KOR), Stephen Leaney (AUS), Huang Wenyi (CHN), Naoto Nakanishi (JPN), Scott Arnold (AUS), Masaya Tomida (JPN), David Oh (US), Masanori Kobayashi (JPN), Choi Ho-Sung (KOR), Nick Cullen (AUS)