 | FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD GB&Ire unless stated
-7 M Mamat (Sin), M Fraser (Aus)
-5 W Ormsby (Aus), P Marksaeng (Tha), B Ruangkit (Tha), U Park (Aus)
-4 P Fowler (Aus), M Both (Aus), G Evans
-3 W Lu (Chn), N Dougherty, G Murphy, A Hansen (Den), F Widmark (Swe), C Wi (Kor), MA Martin (Spa) |
Defending champion Nick Dougherty shot a three-under-par 69 to lie four shots off the lead in the Singapore Masters after the opening round. The 23-year-old Englishman is tied for 10th, with local favourite Mardan Mamat and Australian Marcus Fraser in front.
England's Gary Evans is the top-placed European after his round of 68 gave him a share of seventh place.
But it was a disappointing day for fellow Britons Simon Dyson and Paul Broadhurst, who both shot rounds of 73.
For Dyson it was a case of crashing back to earth after his maiden European Tour win in Indonesia last week.
The 28-year-old revealed he was paying the price for burning the candle at both ends.
He said: "It was really hard work out there. All cylinders are empty at the minute. I'm shattered!
|  It's one of those courses where you have to be really patient - I'm pleased with how it went |
"I still felt I was swinging it all right, but the tank was empty. I had no energy out there at all. "I need some serious shut-eye. Understandably, I was out celebrating Sunday and Monday, and Tuesday night I didn't sleep great because I was up at 4.45am."
Dougherty dropped a shot at the opening hole and although he ended up posting a solid first-round score, he was not completely satisfied with his play.
"I made a couple of sloppy putts and I didn't hit it as well as I would have liked," he said.
"I didn't play very well, so it is encouraging that I managed to score when not playing that great."
He also took encouragement from his experiences in this event 12 months ago.
"I am in a similar position to last year," he said.
"I am one shot worse than last time, and (Colin Montgomerie) was on seven under - this time it's Mardan.
"It's one of those courses where you have to be really patient.
"Looking at the scoring, I'm pleased with how it went - and it is also good to be playing with someone who is in the lead at the moment."
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
