TAIPEI, October 6, 2011 (AFP) - Eight players including two-time Asian Tour winners Chan Yih-shin and David Gleeson fired three-under-par 69s to share the first-round lead at the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship on Thursday.
Thailand's Namchok Tantipokhakul and Taiwan's Chiang Chen-chih, who finished second on the Asian Development Tour's Order of Merit, also signed for 69s to put themselves in contention for maiden wins at the $300,000 event in Taipei.
Home hope Chan, who won his second Tour title in Macau last month, continued his rich vein of form at the Linkou International Golf Club.
"My mental strength is improving after my win in Macau. I used to rush into things previously but now I've learnt how to stay focused," he said.
"I've adopted a positive attitude and have constantly reminded myself to stay patient even after hitting a bad shot. I guess that why I'm in a good position again."
Chan traded two birdies and a bogey in his opening back-nine to turn in 35.
After marking his card with another birdie on the par-five first, he continued his birdie run on holes four and five before dropping another shot on the seventh hole.
Gleeson rediscovered the form that led him to two Asian Tour victories, in 2002 and 2008, after finding himself back among the leaders.
The Taiwan-based Australian ended his run of five consecutive missed cuts with a runner-up finish in Macau. Since then he has played steadily and is looking forward to another good week in his adopted homeland.
"It's a good start for a Thursday. I'm sure everybody else left a few out there but I'm happy with the way I've started. The greens are what they are. They are actually quite good and you've got to take a lot of care when you read them," said Gleeson.
Namchok lived up to his nickname "Lucky" when he charged up the leaderboard after reaching the turn in 37 with one bogey on the par-four 13th.
The 24-year-old Thai posted two birdies on holes one and three after the turn before moving to the top with an eagle-three on the par-five fourth.
"It was a good round today. Not very eventful in this opening back-nine but I think I was lucky in my front-nine as I made it to four-under with two birdies and one eagle. Hopefully it'll turn out the same way tomorrow," said Namchok.
Leading scores after the first round of the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship (TPC) on Thursday:
69 - Hong Chia-yuh (TPE), Namchok Tantipokhakul (THA), Chan Yih-shin (TPE), Lee Cho-chuan (TPE), David Gleeson (AUS), Chen Hao-sen (TPE), Chapchai Nirat (THA), Chiang Chen-chih (TPE)
70 - Thammanoon Sriroj (THA), Mars Pucay (PHI), Lin Wen-tang (TPE), Panuwat Muenlek (THA), Lin Keng-chi (TPE), Elmer Salvador (PHI), Lu Wen-teh (TPE), Lu Wei-chih (TPE), Chen Chung-cheng (TPE), Jonathan Moore (USA), Simon Griffiths (ENG), Pasamet Pogamnerd (THA), Lien Chi-wei (TPE), Matt Docking (AUS).
71 - Lin Wen-ko (TPE), Wang Ter-chang (TPE), Adam Groom (AUS), Khor Kheng Hwai (MAS), Chinnarat Phadungsil (THA), Darren Beck (AUS), Iain Steel (MAS), Lu Tze-shyan (TPE), Pawin Ingkhapradit (THA)
Selected scores
73 - Thaworn Wiratchant (THA)
75 - Jeong Jin (KOR)