Peter Uihlein fired his best round of the season to take a one-shot lead on day one of the True Thailand Classic Presented by Chang.
The American showed no signs of rust after a week away from the golf course as he recorded an excellent eight under par 64 to lead the way from Pelle Edberg.
The Swede is a familiar face at Black Mountain Golf Club, due to his affiliation with the Hua Hin layout which is now a European Tour Destination, and he held the lead on nine under par after a blistering opening 15 holes.
But two bogeys in his last three holes handed the initiative back to Uihlein, who also held the first-round lead in his last appearance on The European Tour, at the ISPS HANDA Perth International.
Uihlein’s tie for fourth in Australia was his second consecutive top ten finish as he continues his recovery from a wrist injury, and the 26 year old is feeling refreshed after a recent break in Phuket.
Scotland’s Scott Jamieson and Spain’s Javier Colomo currently share third place on six under par after both carded opening rounds of 66.
Peter Uihlein: “Last week I had a nice vacation, didn’t even touch a club. It was nice to rock up here with a clean slate and a fresh start.
“I hit it so badly on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, so today was a nice surprise. Once the round got going, I just relaxed into it.”
Pelle Edberg: “I played really well. Hit some great tee shots, long and straight and it gave me a few birdie chances out there. I wasn’t looking at the numbers too much, it was a stress-free day for the most part.
“The course is firm enough, so if you hit the fairways there are a few wedge shots into the greens. It helps that I’ve been playing here a lot. I it better than my home course in Sweden, which says a lot.”
Scott Jamieson: “I’ve had four weeks off so you’re never sure what to expect, but six birdies and no bogeys was very pleasing. I made some great up and downs to keep the momentum going, and managed to take my chances when they came along.
“My pace on the greens was also really good today, which was the key to the low score. I did some hard work at home during the break, and it’s paid off today.
“I’ve not missed a cut yet this year. In the desert swing, I finished between 40th and 60th and whilst it’s nice to go home with a cheque, it doesn’t really do much for you in terms of improving as a golfer. But today was much more like it.”
