SHIZUOKA, Japan (AP) — Randy Bintang of Indonesia bogeyed his opening hole Thursday and followed with six birdies, giving him a 5-under 65 and a one-shot lead after the first round of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.
Bintang, who won the Indonesia Amateur Championship in February, led by one shot at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba over Taishi Moto and Rintaro Nakano of Japan, and Wang Ngai Shen of Hong Kong.
The Asia-Pacific Amateur is in its 15th year and offers the winner a spot at the Masters next April and the British Open next year at Royal Portrush.
“This is the biggest amateur tournament ever played, and this is my third year,” Bintang said. “I’m just starting to play my best.”
Jasper Stubbs of Australia, the defending champion, opened with a 72.
It was a strong start by the Japanese. Nakano played bogey-free, picking up an eagle on the par-5 third. Moto took bogey at No. 10 to start his round and he had a double bogey on the par-4 16th. But he had five birdies on the front nine to recover nicely.
Two other Japanese, Koichiro Furuse and Shu Fukuzumi, were in the group at 67 that includes Wenyi Ding of China, a former U.S. Junior Amateur champion who is No. 5 in the world amateur ranking.
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The Associated Press
