(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Cannon makes statement for Mena Golf Tour with a steady performance at the Dubai Open.
Chris Cannon was playing for the first time in an asian tour event
Dubai — An Aussie rookie made an early impact on the first day of the Dubai Open with a six-under-par 66 even as a career-best score of 67 by an English golfer further enhanced Mena Golf Tour organisers’ claim to be counted for the world ranking.
Tasmanian Kalem Richardson has three other golfers breathing down his neck with five-under-par 67 as 13 eagles were recorded on the opening day at The Els Club on Thursday although it was the first time for all 114 golfers competing on the Asia Tour event that made its return to Dubai after 17 years.
The 26-year-old Richardson carded six birdies including five on the back nine and also had an eagle on the eighth followed by his lone bogey on the ninth. “I just played really solid golf simple as that” he said after his first round.
“I feel my game is good and if I continue to play the way I am I definitely stand a chance of walking away with a good result” reckons the 27-year-old who turned pro in 2009.
“I played pretty solid. It was a pretty crazy day for me. Playing golf in Dubai it’s amazing really you just look around and see the scenery and you’re just enjoying yourself and I’m feeling pretty relaxed being the last event of the year and Christmas being next week” he said.
Playing for the first time in an Asian Tour event Chris Cannon who later admitted that he played ‘blindly’ was the only one out of the leaders to go bogey-free as he underlined the higher level of the game on the Mena Golf Tour by playing a steady golf.
“I’ve been playing solid just the last couple weeks I’ve been a bit tired and this week I’ve taken a different approach and basically haven’t done anything for three days. I hadn’t actually seen the course so I was playing blind today” he commented.
Talking about his first appearance on the Asian Tour Cannon brushed aside fears of fancied opponents. “Good players will shoot good scores and compete well and there are a lot of good players on the Mena Tour now and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if one of us wins it this week or gets some good results” he effused.
“Being a member of the Mena Golf Tour I am really proud to compete in the Dubai Open which has attracted a number of top players” he said and added that to host such a tournament was great. “It’s a testament to the great golf in Dubai and the Mena Golf Tour” said Cannon who has set his sights on the Asian Tour Qualifying School next month.
Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert started the day with a bogey and two more back at the start of the back nine nullified his three birdies in a row from the sixth However Pavit bounced back with some two eagles including holing a 170-yard shot with an eight iron on the par five 18th hole.
“The first (eagle) one (on 13) I hit it from 280 yards to around 10 feet but on 18 I hit a bad drive into the bunker and then I laid up and it’s 170 to the pin and I hit an eight iron that went in. It’s big confidence from there” said the Thai.
“I just want to play and gain experience and learn from the players because I think it’s quite different from the ADT the standard and quality here. I’m looking forward to playing full time on the Asian Tour next year” said Pavit who won this season’s Asian Development Tour Order of Merit following three victories.
Lam Chih Bing of Singapore who had two bogeys and seven birdies and Craig Hinton of England with an identical score are a stroke behind the leader.
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