Han Ren leads after Round 1 at Asian Amateur

Local resident Han Ren got off to a hot start Thursday at the inaugural Asian Amateur Championship in southern China, posting an amateur course record of seven-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead at the World Cup Course at Mission Hills Golf Club.
 
Han, 21, who played a three-hole exhibition match against Tiger Woods at the same venue in 2001, leads over Korean Han Chang-won, with the Philippines’ Mhark Fernando in solo third, two shots back.
 
Starting at No. 1, the Shenzhen native opened with a birdie and added three more at holes 5-7, making the turn at 4-under. Birdies at 10, 13, 15 and 16 kept the pace going, but Han made bogey at the last when he was unable to get up and down from a front bunker.
 
 “I think the highlight of my round today was getting away with a few mistakes and managing to stay consistent,” said Han, a junior at Indiana University.
 
“It is too early to think about winning the tournament. Winning a ticket to play in the Masters Tournament is the biggest attraction of this tournament yet it is also the biggest distraction for me. I need to focus on my game and enjoy every shot.”
 
The Asian Amateur is a 72-hole stroke play event, with the champion receiving an exemption into the Masters Tournament, as well a place in International Final Qualifying for The Open Championship.

1     Han, Ren    China    65
2     Han, Chang-Won    South Korea    66
3     Fernando, Mhark    Philippines    67
T4     Eustaquio, Judson    Philippines    68
T4     Sherratt, Jordan    Australia    68
T6     Asistio, Antonio    Philippines    69
T6     Spearman-Burn, Peter    New Zealand    69
T8     Tamura, Naoyuki    Japan    70
T8     Ismail, Mohd Iszaimi    Malaysia    70
T8     Hung, Chien-Yao    Chinese Taipei    70
T8     Woo, Jonathan    Singapore    70
T8     Yoon, Jung-Ho    South Korea    70