MANILA, Philippines –Bangladeshi veteran Siddikur Rahman and American-Korean Chan Kim fired identical six-under-par 66s to share a three-shot lead after the first round of the $300,000 Philippine Open presented by the MVP Sports Foundation and PLDT.
Siddikur, a two-time Asian Tour winner who comes into practically every Tour event as a favorite, and Kim, who has not made the cut in the first three events of his sophomore year, showed the way for the unheralded Filipino Rolando Marabe, the seasoned Thai Chawalit Plaphol and the rest of the field.
The 39-year-old Siddikur birdied half of the holes at tough-as-nails Wack Wack East to cushion three bogeys, while Kim gunned down seven birds to seal the finest start of his young pro career.
Marabe, a 37-year-old teaching pro from the Villamor layout in Pasay, was the best-placed Filipino after shooting a 69 like Chawalit.
“I started really well with birdies in four of my first five holes,” said Kim, the Q-School winner last year whose one of four missed cuts for the season included the Philippine Open.
Siddikur, the Hero Indian Open champion last year in New Delhi, also had a hot start, picking up shots in three of his four holes.
“I am very happy because my putting touch is back,” Siddikur said.
Marabe put a Filipino at the top of the leaderboard after the local big guns blew superb efforts with cold finishes.
Angelo Que, the 2008 champion, settled for a 71 after making the turn at 33. He was tied with brothers Rufino and Jay Bayron, the amateur Rupert Zaragosa and six others.
Que started the back bogey-bogey-double bogey, before picking up a shot on Nos. 13 and 15.
Zaragosa, the pint-sized, reigning men’s and boy’s national match play champion, was also at three-under after 12 holes only to sign for a double-bogey 7 on the fifth—his 14th hole.
Defending champion Mardan Mamat returned a 75 and was bunched a shot behind a huge 15-man logjam that included 2011 champion Berry Henson of the United States, Antonio Lascuña and Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand.
Miguel Tabuena also shot a 75 like Anirban Lahiri of India, the Asian Tour’s OOM frontrunner.