Koh Samui: Thai veteran star Prayad Marksaeng brilliantly launched his quest for an unprecedented third Queen's Cup title with a solid six-under-par 65 matched by rookie Chanat Sakulpolphaisan, Filipino Angelo Que and India's Rashid Khan in the first round of the Asian Tour event yesterday.
The ageless Prayad, who won his 10th Asian Tour title eight days before his 51st birthday at the Singapore Open in January, soared with an eagle on the 12th hole along with five other birdies at the par-71 Santiburi Samui Country Club.
Countryman Chanat was equally impressive, with the 26-year-old shooting eight birdies against two bogeys.
Effervescent Que nailed six birdies over his last seven holes to give himself a chance for a fourth career victory. The 38-year-old Que did not play a practice round after arriving on the holiday isle on Wednesday night.
Like Chanat, Khan also posted eight birdies, including four in a row on his homeward nine, as he chases a third Asian Tour title in the US$500,000 tournament.
"Today I was lucky as my driver and irons were really good. On 12, I sank an eagle from 131 yards. Hit a good wedge that took one bounce before finding the hole," said Prayad, who won the Queen's Cup in 2013 and 2015.
"There was no wind this afternoon, but it didn't really make it easy as it's a tough course.
"I putted well on the first nine and then I missed some putts on the back nine. Three putted the 10th for my only bogey. It could have been a lower score.
"The course here is very similar to the courses in Japan, which are very tight. That's why I'm comfortable playing on this golf course after all these years. I know where to hit it to, where my targets should be."
"If I keep to my game plan, it becomes easy for me. When I'm on the greens, I know where the breaks are which is good," added Prayad, whose victory in Singapore earned him his sixth British Open appearance in July and made him the second oldest winner on Tour.
Rookie Chanat surprised even himself with his impressive opening round.
"I'm surprised myself," said Chanat, who missed the halfway cut at the same event in 2015. "I'm kind of happy about this. I just tried to play my game and stay in the moment. I didn't think about it too much.
"Today, my putting was good. You have to keep the ball in play to not lose some strokes here," added the rookie, who earned his Asian Tour card by finishing right on the number in Qualifying School in January. He holed a 15-foot par putt the final hole to earn his Tour card.
Que said: "It was pleasing especially arriving only last night. I hit it pretty good. I was in good form two weeks before coming here. Pretty confident with my game and I was just trying to enjoy myself out."
Japan's Daisuke Kataoka, Malaysia's Nicholas Fung and Taiwan's Hung Chien-yao shared fifth place on 66 while India's SSP Chawrasia, who is second on the Order of Merit, is amongst those bunched on 67.
Title-holder Scott Hend of Australia fought to a 71 in what is the 10th leg of the 2017 Asian Tour season.
