Thaworn Wiratchant had announced prior to his opening round at the Maybank Malaysian Open that he expected the winning total would be around 18 under par. Come lunchtime on Thursday and the Thai golfer had made his own prediction look a little on the cautious side after a seven under par 65 that was only blotted by a bogey at the ninth, his final hole. With heavy tropical storms forcing a suspension of play soon after, this score left Wiratchant leading by a stroke from England’s Richard Finch, Welshman Garry Houston, Francesco Molinari of Italy and Ireland’s Gary Murphy.
Wiratchant was among the early starters at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club and his group, which comprised Irish favourite Padraig Harrington and the talented Indian Jyoti Randhawa, made the most of the overcast conditions - and the preferred lies - with the trio a combined 14 under par.
Harrington posted a bogey-free 69 in his first round since early December, while Randhawa went one better with a 68 that contained two bogeys. The star turn, however, was Wiratchant.
The 2005 Asian Tour Number One was straight into his stride with birdies at his first two holes. He then holed from 20 foot at the 17th, his eighth, and from eight foot at the 18th to reach the turn four under.
Four more birdies followed before a rare misjudgement at the last, when he overshot the green with his approach and then fluffed his chip back, saw him register his only bogey. Still it could not ruin what had been a good morning’s work.
“I am very happy. This is my best round this year. Every time I get into a competition, I am confident,” said Wiratchant, who is looking ahead to his first full season on The European Tour after winning last year’s Enjoy Jakarta Standard Indonesia Open.
While the Thai is bidding to become the fifth Asian winner since the Malaysian Open joined The European Tour International Schedule in 1999, he will be aware of the strong European contingent that is already grouping behind him. Among those left out on the course when played was suspended was Miguel Angel Jiménez of Spain, who was four under through eight holes after starting with a brace of birdies and an eagle.
