A lucky eagle helped lift Australian Marcus Fraser into a share of the lead with home favourite Mardan Mamat of Singapore after the first round of the OSIM Singapore Masters at Laguna National Golf and Country Club.
Fraser looked to be in all sorts of trouble when he pushed his three wood second shot on the par five 15th into thick rough but faced with a 35 yard downhill chip with his swing restricted by trees, he played an exquisite recovery which bounced twice before dropping into the cup.
The eagle three followed five earlier birdies, his one on the seventh also coming from a chip in, and helped him to a seven under par 67 to tie morning starter Mamat.
“Anytime you hole a chip or shot is nice but to hole two shots is good,” said Fraser.
Four years ago Fraser won the Eisenhower Trophy at Saujana Golf and Country Club in Malaysia and he has again employed the same caddie, Guna. The Malaysian has an uncanny ability to read the grainy greens and Fraser is reaping the rewards from some good advice.
“He reads every putt for me and I just try and hit it where he tells me,” added Fraser. “It takes all the guesswork out of it for me. He is unbelievable. I read it one way and he says another and all of a sudden I hit it where he says and it has a chance. Think I might be cross eyed or something.”
Fraser joined The European Tour after winning three times in 2003, twice on the Challenge Tour and then in the dual ranking Russian Open which gave him immediate promotion to the main Tour. Last year his best finish of the season was here at Laguna.
Mamat is another player with fond memories of the course as he won a local Singapore tournament here in January. He put that knowledge, further helped by the fact that Laguna allowed the local professionals to practice over the course ahead of the tournament, to good use as he made an immediate impression with three birdies in the first four holes.
Having picked up another two strokes on the 16th and 17th, he dropped his only shot of the day on the 18th when he drove in the water.
The 38 year old came back strongly with three birdies in is last four holes, including a wonderful birdie three on the ninth from the bunker which runs almost the length of the hole. Faced with a 144 yard shot from sand, Mamat hit a wonderful seven iron to two feet to increase his lead.
“I’m very happy with my performance today,” said Mamat, a winner on the Asian Tour in 2004. “I putted very well today. That’s probably my lowest score round here.”
European Tour Member Ormsby enjoyed a bogey free round, eliminating the mistakes that have cost him dear in recent weeks. Last week, for example, he made more birdies than the winner Simon Dyson but finished way down in 50th place. There were no such errors in the first round in Singapore as the 25 year old from Adelaide took full advantage of the par fives by birdieing three of the four long holes on his way to a five under par 67 and a share of third place.
“It was a good day and anytime you can keep a bogey off the card is good,” said Ormsby. “This is a course I haven’t done well in the past but it should suit me. I drive it relatively straight and it is right up my alley.”
He was joined by the Thai pair of Boonchu Ruangkit and Prayad Marksaeng and Australian Unho Park.
England’s Nick Dougherty launched his defence of the OSIM Singapore Masters with a solid three under par 69 to lie four shots behind the leaders. He will be hoping the omens are good as he was in a similar position after the first round last year when he went on to win by five. On that occasion he shot an opening 68 while Colin Montgomerie opened with a 65.
“I am one shot worse than last time when Monty was on seven under, this time it is Mardan,” said the 23-year-old. “I am in good shape and it is also good to be playing with someone who is in the lead at the moment.”
Two three putts cost Dougherty as he first bogeyed opening hole, the tenth at Laguna, from distance but it was the dropped shot on the sixth that caused him most angst.
Arguably his best drive of the day was followed by what looked like a perfect pitch but the ball pulled up a foot short of the brow of a hill and tracked all the way back. From there he three putted for a bogey five.
“That was a bit of a momentum change as Mardan hit it left off the tee, got a little lucky to get over the bunker and I three putted after two great shots and all of a sudden I am three behind,” he said. “Overall I’m pleased. I didn’t play very well so it is also encouraging that I managed to score when not playing that great. I had a couple of sloppy three putts, didn’t hit it as well as I would like to, but my course management was great.”
