Kuala Lumpur, May 14: The Toyota Tour’s Vios Cup is off to a thrilling start with Ervin Chang and Kemarol Baharin tied for the lead.
Both golfers carded a four-under 68 in the first round, displaying remarkable skill on the challenging course.
Ervin Chang, the 2023 Order of Merit winner and last year’s Mirai Cup champion, remarked on his performance, “I struggled a little bit with my putting on the front nine. I didn’t have a practice round yesterday and instead walked nine holes. Generally quite happy with today’s round, had a solid back nine with four birdies and gave myself a lot of opportunities. It’s been a while since I played some good golf. I struggled after the tournament in Saudi and took me some time to get back and try a few things out. Everything seemed to click today and quite pleased with the results.”
Kemarol Baharin, a veteran golfer, also expressed satisfaction with his game, especially after hitting all 14 fairways, a feat he attributed to his improved approach shots. “I had fairly good approach shots and putted quite well. I like this course and I’ve won here about 10 years ago. I hope to make better approaches to the greens tomorrow.”
Just one stroke behind the leaders is Shahriffuddin Ariffin, who is still dealing with body aches from stress, yet managed a bogey-free three-under 69. Other notable scores came from M. Sasidaran, Tony Lam, and amateur Anson Yeo, all tied at 70.
The tournament also saw a significant moment when amateur Pang Hee Jie aced the Par 3 16th hole, becoming the first lady golfer to score a hole-in-one during the Toyota Tour.
In the Ladies Championship, Geraldine Wong leads the first round with an even par 72. Wong commented on her performance, “The conditions were good, and the greens were tough. I was missing several six-footers but found consolation with two chip-ins including at the last hole after leaving it short with a wedge. But I’ll still stick to my game plan.” Close behind are Durriyah Damian and amateur Tan Ying Ying, both carding a one-over 73.
The Vios Cup continues to offer spectators a blend of golfing excellence, entertainment, and camaraderie.
The event runs from May 14-16, promising more exciting rounds and exceptional performances.
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