Dawson and Phelan struggle in strong winds in Singapore
Kevin Phelan
Waterford duo Robin Dawson and Kevin Phelan have work to do to make the cut after opening with eight-over par 80's in the $1 million Singapore International.
High winds at Tanah Merah Country Club allowed just eight players to break par, but the Irish pair ended the day tied for 102nd as India's Khalin Joshi carded a five-under-par 67 on the Tampines Course to lead by two shots from England's William Harrold in the penultimate tournament of the 2020-21 season on the Asian Tour.
India's Ajeetesh Sandhu and American Paul Peterson carded 70's, while Thailand's Jazz Janewattananond and Pavit Tangkamoprasert, Chinese-Taipei's Chan Shih-chang and South African Mathiam Keyser returned 71's.
Winds gusted up to 35 km per hour and while Tramore native Dawson birdied the second, he bogeyed the third, seventh and eighth to turn in 38, then came home in 42 as he mixed bogeys at the 10th, 12th, 16th and 18th with a double-bogey six at the 13th.
Waterford native Phelan also found it tough going as he returned matching nines of 40, carding one birdie, five bogeys and two double bogeys.
"It was obviously a very challenging golf course to start off with; it's long, it's windy and the flags were all tough, so it wasn't very easy, greens are firm," said Joshi, who clinched his maiden Asian Tour win in the 2018 Panasonic Open India.
"So, I'm just very pleased with the way I'm playing and with the way my round went today. Hopefully, we can continue with the way I'm playing and see what happens at the end of the week."
