Smith Wastes Little Time Signalling His Hong Kong Open Intentions

6 months ago by Comments Off on Smith Wastes Little Time Signalling His Hong Kong Open Intentions

 

Aussie Cam Smith brilliantly birdied five of seven closing holes in a blistering seven-under 63 on the opening day in the 67th hosting of the Hong Kong Open.

Smith’s effort, and in his first appearance in the premier Asian Tour event in nine-years, has him tied for the lead with Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra and with the pair one clear of the field on the Hong Kong Golf Club course in suburban Fanling.

Chacarra matched Smith’s effort also with five birdies over his inward nine.

Smith last contested the Hong Kong Open in 2014 which was his maiden rookie season and finished a very respectable ninth.

The 2022 Open Champion opened with back-to-back birdies at the first and second holes before the hiccup of a bogey at the par-5 third hole but produced four straight pars before a birdie at the eighth hole ahead of his superb run of birdies at 12 and then four birdie ‘3s’ in succession from the 14th, and much to the delight of a great first day crowd flocking to the historic course.

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“Played really solid,” Smith said. “Was able to put in some good work the first few days while I was here. It worked out today.

“The course is very refreshing. It’s nice not having to slug your driver on every hole, and actually having to figure some stuff out. It was tricky out there today, a little gusty. It’s a cool track. It’s one of my favourites and hopefully we get any rain.”

Smith is also the highest world ranked player in the field currently lying at No. 20 in the world though teeing-up in only a sixth ‘official’ World Ranking tournament this year, and this due to his LIV Golf membership.

Chacarra, who played golf for Oklahoma State University before dropping out to earn millions on the Saudi-backed LIV circuit, teed off soon after sun-rise and held the clubhouse lead after his bogey-free round of seven birdies.

Masters winner Patrick Reed, competing in the event for the first time, is four shots off the lead on three-under, the American recovering from dropped shots at the third and fifth in his round of 67.

Graeme McDowell, and another who has been a prior visitor to Hong Kong was two-under after birdies on the second and third holes before moving to three-under with a birdie on eight but it would prove the highwater mark of his round with the frustrated Northern Irishman paring his remaining 10 holes, and be sharing 21st place.

Fellow Irishman Brian O’Connor, and the recently appointed Head Professional at the host club, made the most of his invitation to tee-up in producing a respectable one-over 71.

The former PGA Tour China member and long-time teaching pro at Mission Hills commenced his round from the 11th hole and picked-up his only birdie at the third hole on the scorecard before dropping shots at the fourth and sixth holes on the card.

GolfByTourMiss wrote a feature recently about O’Connor’s appearance this week.  You can read it by clicking on: http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2023/11/three-major-winners-irelands-brian-odonovan-head-this-weeks-hong-kong-open/

 

 

 



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