Awangku Muhd Syakir bin Pengiran Haji Alli looks on after hitting a shot at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. – AFP
BRUNEI Darussalam national golf athletes Mohd Aritz Maldini bin Haji Abdul Majid and Awangku Muhd Syakir bin Pengiran Haji Alli shot matching first-round 78 in the first day of the Men’s Individual Golf at the 18th Asian Games at the Pondok Indah Golf Course in Jakarta yesterday.
The national duo fired a six-over-par to end the round in tied 50th place, 10 strokes behind the pacesetter Japan’s Keita Nakajima.
Awangku Muhd Syakir enjoyed a positive start at the Asian Games after he birdied the par four in the first hole of the front nine and followed it up with a set of pars to navigate his way at the upper half of the table.
However, a double bogey and two bogeys in the ensuing three holes slowed down his game before finishing play halfway with three-over.
Awangku Muhd Syakir racked up eight consecutive pars including the last two in the front nine but his ranking took a slide after his round was spoiled by two bogeys in his final two holes.
Awangku Muhd Syakir’s national teammate Mohd Aritz Maldini landed one birdie but his game was littered with six bogeys in the first round.
Japan’s Nakajima leads the way after carding an opening 68, one shot ahead of Indonesia’s Naraajie Emerald Ramadhan Putra, India’s Aadil Bedi and Malaysia’s Ervin Chang.
The 18-year old fired five birdies and bogeyed once in the 13th hole en route to topping the leaderboard.
The second round of the men’s individual golf will continue today.
