Magic for Molinari, Morrison

Ryder Cup star Edoardo Molinari of Italy and young Englishman James Morrison shared the first day honours with stunning nine-under-par 62s at the Barclays Singapore Open on Thursday.

Korea’s Y.E. Yang, Asia’s first male Major winner, also produced the fireworks on a sun-baked Sentosa Golf Club, firing a bogey-free 63 in the US$6 million championship sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

While the top trio enjoyed the luxury of taking on the easier Tanjong course, South Africa’s Jbe Kruger produced a fine 65 for the best of the day at the challenging Serapong course to trail in tied fourth place with Korea’s Lee Sung and Thailand Atthapphon Prathuanee.

Jeev Milkha Singh of India, the 2008 Barclays Singapore Open champion, played with an injured ankle and shot a 66 at the Tanjong which was matched by amongst others, three-time Asian Tour number one Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, Singaporean amateur Lam Zhiqun, who returned an impressive bogey free 66 at the Serapong, and home star Lam Chih Bing.

The tournament’s top guns failed to fire. World number 11 Phil Mickelson, playing at the Tanjong, needed two late birdies for a level par 71 while three-time Major champion Padraig Harrington returned a 69.

On a sweltering day, the 30-year-old Molinari, who enjoyed a bumper season in 2010 with two victories and a maiden Ryder Cup appearance, wielded a hot putter to set the early clubhouse target.

“It was a very good round. I missed a few hosts out there but the putting was finally excellent today which is probably the first good round of putting that I have had in a while,” said Molinari.

“I had a really good session on the putting green on Tuesday afternoon and I was just trying to work on the same feelings out on the course and today it was very good. I probably had 25 or 26 putts but the most important thing was that I holed everything inside 10 feet which is what you have to do on his course because it is very short.”

Thailand's Atthaphoon Prathumanne, who won a Thai domestic tournament a few weeks ago, featured on the leaderboard after shooting  65 on The Tanjong Course.

Amazingly he hit every green in regulation and needed just 31 putts.

"Everything went to plan today. I hit a lot of quality shots and my putting was solid. I suppose I was a bit lucky as I was drawn to play the easier course first. You need to get a score here and I did that," he said.

"I told myself before the round not to try silly things on the course. Trust myself. Just play according to a plan. I started every hole from zero. I did not speed up or slow down or try and hit 300 yards. Just start from zero as my coach told me and that helps a lot.

"I hit eighteen greens in regulation and had 31 putts. I had four birdies and one eagle. I had an eagle at the sixth hole when I hit a three wood off the tee and I had 205 yards to the pin and I put a six iron to four feet.

"That score keeps me in the tournament with The Serapong Course to come tomorrow. I want to make the cut. I missed the cut here for the last two years."