Yusaku Miyazato, Aaron Rai, and Jason Scrivener all shot impressive 5-under-par 65s to share the lead after the opening round of the Hong Kong Open on Thursday. Meanwhile, Patrick Reed, the US Masters champion, faced challenges at the event in Fanling.
Rai made a strong move under calm conditions, with a birdie on the 12th hole and a stunning tap-in eagle on the 13th. His approach shot landed inches away from the cup, setting up more birdies on the 1st and 17th holes. The Briton, who started on the back nine, took the clubhouse lead ahead of Miyazato of Japan and Australia’s Scrivener.
Scrivener gained momentum with four birdies in five holes, finishing his bogey-free round strongly. Miyazato also had a solid performance with three birdies on the back nine, including a crucial one on the 9th hole, contributing to the three-way tie at the top of the Hong Kong Open leaderboard.
Aaron Rai from England was pleased with his bogey-free start at the first event of the 2019 European Tour season. He acknowledged that the afternoon conditions provided an opportunity for the newcomers to take the lead by a single shot.
The 23-year-old Rai attributed their success to the weather conditions. He mentioned that the wind made it challenging for players in the morning but emphasized that they managed to perform well on the demanding course.
