Nirat sets course record

Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat produced a stunning opening-round 11-under-par 61 to open up a three-shot lead over Argentina’s Rafael Echenique at the TCL Classic in Hainan today.

Nirat, who missed the cut at last week’s Singapore Masters despite shooting a level-par 144, picked up 11 birdies on his way around the Yalong Bay Golf Club course to beat China’s Liang Wenchong’s opening-round 62 last year and claim the course record.

Taiwan’s Lu Weh The, New Zealand’s Richard Lee and South Africa’s Keith Horne are a further shot adrift, with England’s Lee Westwood at six under.

“I am very happy with the round,” said Nirat after shooting the lowest score of his career. “I drove well and I was bogey-free.

“I played here last year so I am familiar with the course, which helps when driving and putting. There is a lot more rough this year but I made sure I hit straight.”

Echenique said: “This is my first time at this course and my first year on the European Tour. The course is beautiful. I heard that last year it was easier, there was less rough. Today I played really good. I started driving perfectly and my putting was excellent.”

Westwood, starting on the back nine, made an ideal start with a birdie at the 10th before adding a superb eagle at the 13th.

A bogey at the 15th was quickly cancelled out by a birdie at the next as Westwood reached the turn in 33.

The 33-year-old collected two early birdies on the front nine, at the second and the fourth, before three-putting the fifth.

Westwood recovered and carded birdies at the seventh and ninth to come home in 33.

“I was pretty pleased with the way I played tee to green. I hit a couple of good shots. I got a bit lucky at the second but 66 was about the worst it could have been,” said Westwood.

England’s Oliver Fisher finished tied for 10th on five under, a shot clear of compatriots Simon Griffiths, Sam Little and Barry Lane and Wales’ Mark Pilkington, while Paul McGinley, the 2005 runner-up, carded a disappointing 72, which included four bogeys.

The Ryder Cup star, like Westwood starting on the back nine, went out in 37 but recovered somewhat on the way back, picking up three birdies to go with two bogeys.

“I played really poorly. I have no excuse. I did well to shoot a 72,” he said.

“It was just inconsistent play. I hit a lot of bad shots. I didn’t have any control of the golf ball all day.

“I’ve got to shoot a good score to get back into the tournament. I need to spend some time on the range and find out what I’m doing wrong because I’m not going to shoot that low score with the way I played today, but tomorrow’s another day.”

Liverpool’s Nick Dougherty carded a three-under-par 69 alongside last week’s Singapore Open champion Liang after collecting three birdies on the back nine having made the turn on par.

Ryder Cup winning captain Ian Woosnam, who missed the cut at the 2005 event in Sanya, carded a level-par 72.