Taipei: Rahil Gangjee, whose sole win on the Asian Tour came exactly 10 years ago, was the best Indian at the end of the first round as he carded a two-under 70 to be tied 11th at the USD 500,000 Yeangder Tournament Players Championship (TPC) today.
Among the other Indians, Rashid Khan had contrasting front and back nines in his round of one-under 71 that placed him tied 21st.
Chiragh Kumar (72) was tied 35th, while Anirban Lahiri and Jyoti Randhawa, who had a good outing at the European Masters last week, were tied 52nd at one-over 73.
Himmat Rai (77) and Sujjan Singh (78) were in danger of missing the cut at tied 123rd and tied 128th.
Gangjee, currently fourth on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, started on the 10th and turned in even par with one birdie and one bogey.
Then he found three birdies in four holes on first, third and fourth. But a bogey on fifth saw him finish the day at 70.
Rashid, who achieved his breakthrough win at the SAIL-SBI Open this year, was four-under through 10 holes, but bogeys on 13th, 16th and 17th saw him end at 71.
Also shooting 71 was Daniel Chopra, the Indo-Swede who is playing in Asia this month.
Filipino veteran Elmer Salvador rode on a hot putter to grab the opening round lead with a six-under 66. The 45-year-old registered seven birdies against one bogey to lead by one shot from three-time Asian Tour winner Marcus Both of Australia, Lien Lu-sen of Chinese Taipei and Thailand’s Prom Meesawat at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club.
The flamboyant Angelo Que of the Philippines produced the shot of the day when he aced the par-three fifth hole with a seven iron to share fifth place alongside countryman Antonio Lascuna, Malaysia’s Danny Chia and Hsu Hao-sheng of Chinese Taipei.
Defending champion Thaworn Wiratchant stayed within sight of the leader following a 70.