It was an amazing first round, when the leaderboard seemed to have the German Player Yannik Paul on the top who soon after moved down to the second place and was replaced by Sami Valimaki , a golfer from Finland, who started his round with consecutive birdies on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. This 24 year old golfer has one DP World Tour win in his account. 

 

 

Thailand Classic participants, from left, Ratchanon Chantananuwat, Thongchai Jaidee, Nicolai Hojgaard, Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Rafa Cabrera Bello pose with the trophy ahead of the DP World Tour event at Amata Spring Country Club.

 

 

A total of seven Thai players including Kiradech Aphibarnrat are competing for this amazing prize money. The other Thais in the field are eight-time DP World Tour winner Thongchai Jaidee, amateurs Ratchanon 'TK' Chantananuwat and Ashita Piamkulvanich, Arnond Vongvanij, Kwanchai Tannin, and Ekpharit Wu.

 

Changing the scenerio with the scores, the first round ended when the leaderboard was topped by German player Martin Simonsen. He hit a bogey free front nine and got an amazing eagle shot on 11th completing the round with 8-under on Par 72. Sami Valimaki maintained his lead position by the end of the first round and Tied with Martin. He went bogey free in the initial round. 

 

 

 

 

Thai star Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who already has won 4 times on DP World Tour was to tie at 5th till he hit a bogey free round, but unfortunately a double bogey on the 14th dragged him down at T-15. Later by the end of the round he was seen at a t-17. This 33 year old golfer will be chasing his fifth title on the DP World Tour. He is famous as ‘Arm’ among his fans and media and is planning for a home win after five years. He claimed his last victory at World Super 6 Perth in 2018. 

 

"It's really difficult for me to describe how happy I am right now," he said. "To be practicing, playing, in front of my home country, the fans, I really enjoy it.

 

There was a tie at the third place between two German players Alexander Knappe and Yanik Paul with a score of 65. 

 

Fifth place was shared by four players Robin SCIOT-SIEGRIST , Thriston Lawrence, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Fabrizio Zanotti

 

 

 

 

Another Thai golfer Thongchai Jaidee stood at T-33 who hit 3-under by the end of the first round. It seemed like he had a good start to the day where he had all at par shots except two birdies on 2nd and 6th. Two disastrous bogey on 10th and 14th moved him to this position. 

 

Indian players didn’t have a good start to the tournament as Manu Gandas tied 77 and Shubhankar Sharma stood at T-123