Injured Thongchai Jaidee shares China lead

ASIAN No 1 Thongchai Jaidee defied a niggling elbow injury to card a superb bogey-free eight-under-par 64 yesterday to share a two-shot first-round lead at the Volvo China Open alongside Korea's Kim Do-hoon.

The elbow strain forced the 40-year-old Thai to withdraw midway through the second round of the Masters last week and Thongchai admits he briefly considered pulling out of the trip to China after receiving an injection before leaving Augusta. But despite insisting the injury is only 70 per cent recovered, Thongchai mastered the wetlands and links combination at Jinji Lakes International to top the leaderboard alongside the equally impressive Kim.

"I played very solid after a week off last week. I had a good game plan," said Thongchai.

"I was unable to practice on the course before, I only played two holes in the pro-am because the weather was terrible. But I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens and I made a lot of putts."

Home favourite Wen-chong Liang, Spain's Larrazabal and Welshman Jamie Donaldson head the chasing pack on 66.

Thongchai was in the same flight as the two Ryder Cup captains and Corey Pavin outshone European counterpart Colin Montgomerie with a bogey-free 67. Monty had to settle for a frustrating level-par round despite managing six birdies.

Of the other Scots in China, Alastair Forsyth is the best-placed after a 69, while Peter Whiteford and Stephen Gallacher shot 70. Marc Warren was a shot further back on 71, Paul Lawrie carded 74 and David Drysdale was 11 shots off the pace after a 75.