India's Jeev Milkha Singh, who is recovering from a shoulder injury, fired a sizzling five-under round to sit joint second after the first round of the Hong Kong Open yesterday.

AFP
Hong Kong

The big guns in the Hong Kong Open started to show their class after yesterday's first round—with Justin Rose setting himself up for the tournament by hitting five-under to sit joint second after a “solid” performance.  
The two joint leaders were Taiwan’s Lu Wei-chih and Italy’s Andrea Pavan who shot six-under-par rounds at the par-70 course. Lu’s journey to the top of the leaderboard was even more remarkable given that he had a brain tumour removed just three years ago.  
Another surprise package was Ian Poulter—who only arrived in Hong Kong on Wednesday evening after the European Tour found him a last-minute place in a bid to save his season.  
Graeme McDowell, who by his own admission has had a disappointing year, said he got his confidence back after hitting four-under. McDowell, who won the 2010 US Open, said he was carrying his newly rediscovered form onto Hong Kong course.  
“The two weapons in my bag which have misfired this year are my driver and my putter—those are the two things that have hurt me the most,” he said. “But today I felt loose on the greens and I putted nicely.”  
Rose, whose previous visit to the Fanling course resulted in a long weekend on the town after he failed to make the cut, said he was happy with his performance.  
“I began to build some confidence today and I played a really good, solid, patient round of golf,” he said.  
One of Rose’s highlights was a birdie on the 10th—the first of four in the back nine which saw a strong finish from England’s world number seven.  
The USA’s Dustin Johnson, ranked number eight, recovered from two bogeys on the first two holes, hitting an eagle on the third and a birdie on the 15th to end the day at one under par.  
Unexpected entrant Poulter took the place of American Rich Beem so he could complete the minimum 13 events necessary to retain his European Tour membership and keep alive his hopes of playing in the Ryder Cup next year.  
The Englishman, who has seen his world ranking plummet and now sits outside the top 50, appeared relieved after shooting three under.  
“Overall, I’ve played pretty nicely, on a course which I’ve had to get to know again pretty quickly,” said the former Hong Kong Open champion.  
“I left a few putts short but I have to be happy with that landing last night.”  
The 39-year-old revealed he had since thanked Beem in person. “I saw him in the hotel, so I went over and said, that’s awfully kind of him to do that,” he said.
Taiwan’s Lu, whose six-under was not beaten all day, said he had a difficult start before he birdied the fourth, fifth and sixth holes and ended feeling “very comfortable”.  
Jeev Milkha Singh from India, sitting in joint second on five-under, said he was recovering well from a shoulder injury and welcomed the atmosphere on a day when spectators were let in for free.  
“For sure, there were a lot of people out here today, and I think it’s great to see the crowds come out,” he said. “It’s good for the game, and especially for the Asian players and also the top players who have come to play from Europe and the US.”

Korea’s Ji takes opening round lead in Taiwan
South Korea’s Ji Eun-Hee overcame strong wind and drizzle to fire a stunning six-under-par 66 and take the first-round lead in the $2 million Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship yesterday.
One shot behind was Lin Xi Yu of China in the tournament at the Miramar Golf Country Club in New Taipei City.
Ji, who tied ninth in the 2014 Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship, collected five birdies on the back nine following a slow start. The 29-year-old credited the lead to her patience with the high winds.
“My putting wasn’t really feeling good, so I just had to be patient with the winds and I just was calm with my putting. I just look at the line and just go hit it,” she told reporters. “I didn’t fight with the wind. I (was) just using the wind a lot.”
Lydia Ko of New Zealand, currently world number two, fired a 69 for a tied seventh with seven others.
Also succumbing to the wind was world number three Stacy Lewis of the United States, who shot a disappointing 77 that left her in 70th place with Brittany Lang.
Taiwan’s Tseng Yani registered a 72, sharing 27th place with six other competitors including Christina Kim of the US.

Day wins top Aussie award
World number one golfer Jason Day has won Australian sport’s The Don Award, two months after claiming his first major title. The accolade came in the same week that the Australian, who won his first major at the PGA Championship in August, took golf’s top spot for the second time in his career.
Day was honoured at the annual Sport Australia Hall Of Fame awards on Wednesday night, winning the top award, which honours the Australian sportsperson who most inspired the nation in the past 12 months.
“Such a great year as this, to be able to cap it off with The Don Award, it goes down in my memory as one of the best years that I’ve ever had,” Day said in a video message. “I’m looking forward to hopefully replicating or improving on years like this and really trying to represent not only myself but represent golf, and golf in Australia and also the Australian nation around the world, the best I possibly can.”