India’s Arjun Atwal, whose previous claim to fame was leading after the first round of the Johnnie Walker Classic in 1997 with a 66, went one better in the Benson & Hedges Malaysian Open, presented by Carlsberg, at Templer Park Country Club by snatching the lead with an opening 65.
The 26 year old from Calcutta fired his seven under par round in the slightly less hot and humid morning to lead by one shot from China’s Zhang Lian-Wei with Mark Mouland of Wales and Denmark’s Steen Tinning sharing third place with Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand and American Ted Purdy on 67.
While Atwal is attempting to make his way in the golfing world, Mouland has been there and done that all before. Now in his 19th season on the European Tour, the two-time winner lost his card for the first time last season, filling 121st place on the Volvo Order of Merit.
He was unsuccessful in his attempt to regain his playing rights at the Qualifying School and sat down with pen and paper to request invitations without a great deal of success. This week is only his second start of the season – but after gathering six birdies and one bogey in his impressive card, Mouland can see a glimmer of light at the end of a long dark tunnel.
And he placed the credit for his re-discovered form at the door of golfing legend, Gary Player, with whom he played during the King Hassan Trophy last November.
Mouland recalled: “I played with Gary in the third round and asked if he could remember the last time we met.
“He said he could – the week before the Dutch Open in 1988. He gave me a lesson then and the following week I went out and won the Dutch, while he was winning the Senior British Open the same day at Turnberry.
“While we reminisced, I told Gary that I had lost my card and would he be good enough to have a look at my swing? He said he would, and proceeded to tell me what I was doing wrong and that it would take a month for the change to start working. I’ve been out here almost exactly a month now! It would be lovely if it could pay off again.”
Mouland knows he has achieved nothing yet, but has at least built a solid platform for himself, as has Tinning, who has been a model of consistency in missing just one cut since last July.
The Dane, who collected five birdies and no bogeys in his round, spent a week in Dubai practising hard with Thomas Björn before making his season debut in the Mercedes-Benz South African Open.
He said: “I saw after three or four days at Dubai Creek with Thomas and our coach, Lief Nyholm, that I was hitting the ball very nicely. I finished 13th in South Africa and made the cut in both events in Australia.
“I think it will be hard for a European to win here because of the heat, humidity and the different greens. I think we can keep pace with the Asian players for two days but over four days they have an advantage”.
Retief Goosen of South Africa and Ireland’s Ryder Cup player, Padraig Harrington, both bogeyed the last when challenging to match the quartet on 67. However both are well in contention, unlike the unfortunate Björn who had to withdraw with a recurrence of the neck injury which afflicted him last season.
