KUALA LUMPUR: Asian Tour member Rikard Karlberg upstaged his illustrious PGA Tour counterparts by firing a bogey-free, seven-under-par 65 to lead the co-sanctioned CIMB Classic after Thursday’s first round.
The Swede is one of 10 Asian Tour players in the 78-man field at the $7 million (Dh25.74 million) tournament and becomes the first from the Tour to lead the event in its five-year existence.
Another Asian Tour member, Filipino Angelo Que, was in a tie for second alongside American duo Billy Hurley III and Brian Stuard two shots back after shooting 65s.
Former US PGA Champion Davis Love III, boosted by holing a 20-foot eagle putt at the par five 10th, was on four-under along with past champion Ryan Moore.
World No. 4 Sergio Garcia of Spain is the best ranked player in the field and he fired a three-under 69 to sit in a large group tied for 13th, which includes Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa.
Thursday’s action at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club was interrupted by a weather delay but the heavy rain was only a small obstacle for Karlberg, who has had numerous challenges this year.
The Swede has been hampered for over a year with a virus as he battles the demands of playing on two circuits.
“There has been a lot of things going on. Trying to combine both European Tour and Asian Tour, flying back and forward and getting sick because of the virus infection I suffered from the whole year where I get the flu symptoms,” he told reporters.
“That gets you a little bit stressed out and I realised that I can’t really do anything about it. Just try to eat as good as I can, at least that’s what the doctors say.”
Karlberg reached the turn in five-under 31 after chipping in for birdie on the par-3 eighth and then sinking a 10-foot putt to pick up another shot at the par four ninth.
Seven straight pars followed before the Swede, twice a winner on the Asian Tour in 2010, rolled in two more birdies to finish.
“My putting was great after a hot start then it was a little bit so-so. I kept it going and it was nice to finish with those two extra ones at the end,” said Karlberg, who is ranked eighth on the Order of Merit.
A win for any of the Asian Tour players this week will grant them a two-year playing exemption on the PGA Tour.
Former world No. 1 Lee Westwood, who won the European Tour’s Malaysian Open on this course in April, could only manage a level par 72 for a share of 39th with reigning FedEx Cup winner Billy Horschel.
Major winners Charl Schwartzel, Jason Dufner, Stewart Cink, Retief Goosen and Trevor Immelman all endured a difficult day and could only manage 74s, a score matched by the leading two on the Asian Tour Order of Merit list, David Lipsky and Anirban Lahiri.
