Golf:After his near miss at Valderrama a fortnight ago, Gareth Maybin was right back in the thick of things when he resumed competitive action in the first round of the weather delayed Singapore Masters this morning.
Maybin, who has yet to win on the European Tour, lost out by two shots to eventual champion Graeme McDowell at the Andalucia Masters but picked up the biggest cheque of his career with his second-placed finish.
And the Antrim man showed the confidence is still there as he fired a six-under round of 65 on the Tanjon course at Sentosa Golf Club.
On a low-scoring opening day, particularly on the Tanjon course, Maybin’s total was still two shots behind pacesetters Chris Wood and Kim Bi-o who both recorded eight under 63s. Igancio Garrido had also reached eight under through 11 holes before play was brought to a halt due to failing light.
Thunder storms this morning led to a four hour delay and much of the field have still to complete their first rounds. Among them is Graeme McDowell, eager to chase down
Martin Kaymer in the Race to Dubai standings. The US Open champion, playing on the harder Serapong layout, began like a man possessed with five birdies in six holes from the third and will not have enjoyed hearing the hooter to end play after just eight holes.
Darren Clarke was also on five under thanks to a bogey-free round while Peter Lawrie (four under after eight) was also well placed. Padraig Harrington finished on two under.
At the top of the leaderboard, Wood made a blistering start on the Tanjon course and reeled off three consecutive birdies. The 22-year-old added an eagle at the sixth to reach the turn in 31 and three more birdies in a row from the 11th saw him quickly move to eight under.
He was joined by playing partner Kim Bi-o, who played the front nine in 33 but five birdies on the way back helped the Korean draw level. Garrido, meanwhile, was piecing together potentially the round of his career with the Spaniard eight under through just 11 holes.
The former Ryder Cup player began with three straight birdies and picked up three more to play the front nine in just 30. Garrido then recorded birdies at the 10th and 11th before play was brought to a halt due to darkness.
Shigeki Maruyama was one stroke back in the clubhouse after posting a 64, the Japanese veteran making six birdies and an eagle with his only blemish coming with a bogey at the par-five 12th. He was level with Swede Rikard Karlberg, who has three holes to play.
Maybin finished two shots off the pace in a tie for sixth alongside Anthony Kang, who was six under through 14 holes.
Phil Mickelson was at four under par, as was Italian teenager Matteo Manassero, following solid 67s, while defending champion Ian Poulter was even through six holes on the Serapong layout.
Last week’s HSBC Champions winner Francesco Molinari, meanwhile, was two under after eight holes. The 204-strong field will play both the Serapong and Tanjon courses through their first two rounds before the tournament reverts to just the Serapong for the weekend.