Kuala Lumpur: In-form Jazz Janewattananond trailed leaders Marcus Fraser and Nacho Elvira by just one shot after the first round of the Maybank Championship in Malaysia yesterday.
The Thai star showed why he is leading the Asian Tour Order of Merit with another assured performance at the Saujana Golf and Country Club.
The three-time Asian Tour winner marked his card with seven birdies and a bogey for an encouraging six-under-par 66 to share third place with Austria's Matthias Schwab and Angelo Que of the Philippines.
"I didn't expect to play this well. Last year I didn't play all that well here but this year it seems like the course is better, I've enjoyed it more and I have a bit more confidence on the greens," said the 23-year-old Jazz.
"The greens are so much better than last year. I think that it plays into a different game plan. You can hit it into the middle of the green and try to make putts rather than going for every green. I enjoyed it a lot more."
Australia's Fraser and Spain's Elvira took a share of the first round lead by shooting matching seven-under-par 65s yesterday.
Fraser, who won the inaugural Maybank Championship in 2016, surprised even himself with his position on the leaderboard after considering himself as a 'part-time golfer' nowadays. Ranked 345th on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), the Australian has not broken into the winner's circle since that victory in Malaysia.
"I've been playing well having a hit at home but I haven't played a whole lot of competitive golf. It was nice to go out and play well in a great tournament," said Fraser.
Que opened his campaign at the US$3 million event in a blistering pace, getting to nine under after 11 holes.
Two double-bogeys on 15 and 16 knocked him off the perch of the leaderboard but he finished the round just like the way he started with a birdie to stay one shot off the pace.
South Africa's Ernie Els, who will captain the International team for this year's Presidents Cup, signed for a 68 to share seventh place together with seven other players that include India's Gaganjeet Bhullar, Australia's Zach Murray, Thailand's Poom Saksansin and Malaysia's Nicholas Fung.