Udorn Duangdecha loomed as a shining figure as he strolled down the ninth fairway at Fan Ling in gathering darkness, and his flashy neon-colored pants had little to do with it.The unheralded Thai stunned everyone when he stormed to the top of the US$2.5 million (HK$19.5 million) UBS Hong Kong Open with an eight-under-par 62 that left the brightest stars of both the European and Asian Tours in the shade.
The 39-year-old late-bloomer from Chiang Mai played without fear on a perfect day for scoring at the Hong Kong Golf Club's par-70 composite course and was unruffled as he faced questions about his colorful outfit.
"They're my lucky pants," Udorn said, "and I have enough to last me the whole week."
He shook his head confidently when asked if he was surprised to be in the lead. "I've been playing well lately," he said through an interpreter.
Udorn is a shot up on Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen and two clear of defending champion Lin Wen-tang of Taiwan, Englishman David Dixon, France's Gregory Bourdy and the best- known Thai in the field, Asian Order of Merit leader Thongchai Jaidee.
The average score for the first round was half a stroke under par - the lowest in years as the lack of wind left the compact layout defenseless.
The big guns took advantage of the benign conditions, with former British Open winner Ben Curtis of the United States and South African Rory Sabbatini firing 65s and US PGA champion Yang Yong Eun of South Korea carding 66, level with Amer
ican Mark O'Meara, Englishman Lee Westwood and Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy.But they all had to play second fiddle to Udorn, whose name means "the great guy" in Thai but who has yet to win on either Tour. Not even a sudden downpour over his final five holes could cool down Udorn who got to as low as nine-under and had a shot at the course record of 61 following a birdie on the par-4 seventh hole.
He blamed the fading light for his last-hole hiccup on No9, where he left a 24-foot putt short and missed the four- footer for par. "I could no longer see the line," said Udorn, who played in the second-to-last flight.
Derksen, who won a gold bar for a hole-in-one the first time he played here in 2005, capped his 63 with five birdies over his final six holes.
"It's a great investment and I still have it," said Derksen of the gold bar he won for acing the 144-yard 12th hole. "And the price of gold has gone up."
