Johl leads in Hong Kong

Little-known Indian Amandeep Johl out-shone the stars to claim a one-shot lead after the first round of the Omega Hong Kong Open at Fanling.

The 33-year-old, a lowly 214th on last season’s European Order of Merit, fired a six under round of 63 on a day when players struggled to make the kind of impact which had been expected over the short par 69 course.

Johl’s score put him five clear of England’s Nick Faldo – returning to the course for the first time since his Johnnie Walker Classic win here in 1990 - who shot a 68, and six clear of defending champion Jose Maria Olazabal after the Spaniard’s 69.

Disease-ridden greens had forced a shortening of the course and the professionals were expected to make light work of it.

But on the kind of cool, damp day that most of the competitors probably did not have in mind when they decided to enter this event, Johl was one of only a handful to take full advantage.

Moving along steadily at one under after eight, Johl’s round ignited with an eagle at the ninth, and he followed it with four birdies in five holes before a late bogey at the 17th.

His score left him a shot clear of Mexican Pablo del Olmo, Zimbabwean Tony Johnstone, Swede Henrik Nystrom and Welshman Stephen Dodd, a former British Amateur champion, who all posted five-under 64s.

The group on four-under 65 included Scot Dean Robertson, last year’s Open runner-up Thomas Levet and South African James Kingston, who finished his round in spectacular fashion when he holed his second shot to the long ninth for a rare albatross.

Six-time major winner Faldo, who had complained of feeling worn out before the tournament, finished with birdies at his last two holes to mask what had been a fairly low-key first day.

Starting at the 10th, Faldo birdied the 12th but dropped back with bogeys at the 15th and 16th, before coming home in two under 32.

Much of the attention in the build-up to the tournament has focused on the condition of the Fanling course.

And after his round Faldo, who now spends much of his time involved with course design and is currently involved with the Mission Hills project in Hong Kong, was clear about what he thought the course needed.

He said: “There’s plenty of sand out there – on the greens. It needs a Nick Faldo redesign!

“It’s a really nice setting but I just think it should be brought up to speed.

“I’d hate to see what the greens are going to look like for some of the late starters today – they should have a guy rolling each green after every group.

“It was pretty tricky to get going today but at least I managed to birdie the last two. Someone could easily get 10 under this week.”

Olazabal looked to have rediscovered the form that gave him the title last year when, after starting at the 10th, he birdied the 11th, 12th and 13th.

But the problems which have blighted his game in recent months returned and four birdies in five holes from the 18th meant he finished with a level par 69.

Thirteen-year-old Taiwanese amateur Lo Shih-Kai, who became the youngest player ever to take part in a European Tour event, was near the back of the field after a four over 73.