Lara leads the way
Jose Manuel Lara carded a six-under-par 64 to top the leader board in the first round of the UBS Hong Kong Open today.
The Spaniard shot six birdies in a faultless round to close his first day’s play one shot ahead of Englishman Graeme Storm.
The Hartlepool-born golfer had a superb run on the back nine, carding six successive birdies from the 11th.
He then hit a further two birdies coming home to close on a five-under par 65 and Storm was pleased with his display.
“It was a great start,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting much but I gave myself some good chances and managed to hole them all and it is a good feeling.
“Every time I’ve been here I’ve missed the cut by one so its been a bit of a bad place for me but the schedule suits me better as I come here and go on to Australia and then New Zealand.”
Finishing tied for second alongside Storm was Gregory Bourdy who hit the first eagle of the day on the par five 13th.
Volvo Masters winner Jeev Milkha Singh closed on four under, hitting six birdies and two bogeys, and the Indian was pleased with his first round.
He said: “I am happy. I started out very well, I was four-under after the first six holes and was pretty excited bout it.
“But coming in on the back nine I hit the ball well but didn’t make too many putts but it’s the first round today and I’m happy at four-under.”
Former US Open champion Michael Campbell, looking to build on his joint third-place finish at the HSBC Champions last weekend, carded a two-under par 68 while Miguel Angel Jimenez undid some good work on the back nine when he carded four bogeys coming home.
Elsewhere, defending champions Colin Montgomerie made a good start, hitting one birdie and making par on the rest after his first four holes.
Nick Dougherty made par after the first 18 holes, cancelling out five birdies with five bogeys.
