American golfer Dodge Kemmer
PETALING JAYA: Dodge Kemmer blitzed the back nine with a 28 to post a nine-under 63 for a two-stroke opening round lead at the PGM CCM Rahman Putra Championship.
The 28-year-old American, who plies his trade on the second-tier European Challenge Tour, began his round in the Asian Development Tour (ADT) tournament at Kelab Rahman Putra in Sungai Buloh on Wednesday on the 10th tee and went on to birdie the 11th.
But he saved his best for last.
After nine straight pars, Kemmer shot an eagle on the par-five third before firing six straight birdies for a sensational inward 28 to be two clear of Australia’s Darren Tan and Thailand’s Nattawat Suvanajanakorn.
Three-time PGM Tour winner Kemarol Baharin was the best local performer after his 67 put him in a tie for eighth with George Gandranata of Indonesia and James Byrne of Scotland.
Malaysians Wilson Choo, Mohd Rizal Amin and Hans Jamil were a further shot adrift in joint 11th.
RESULTS
Leading first round scores (Malaysian unless stated): 63: Dodge Kemmer (US); 65: Darren Tan (Aus), Nattawat Suvanajanakorn (Tha); 66: Shunya Takeyasu (Jpn), Sutijet Kooratanapisan (Tha), Janne Kaske (Fin), Jordan Sherratt (Aus); 67: George Gandranata (Ina), Kemarol Baharin, James Byrne (Sco); 68: Bang Doo-hwan (Kor), Nitithorn Thippong (Tha), Wilson Choo, Nicolas Paez (US), Mohd Rizal Amin, John Jackson (US), Danny Masrin (Ina), Hong Soon-sang (Kor), Hans Jamil.
