Malaysia’s Ervin Chang posted an impressive first-round score of four-under-par 68 to take the mid-day lead alongside Thailand’s Tanyapat Sukkoed at the Aramco Invitational Tournament in Saudi Arabia today, with the pair on four-under-par after the morning play.

Chang, the winner earlier this year of the inaugural Kyi Hla Han Future Champions Award, coupled six birdies with two bogeys to match Tanyapat.

Although Chang sits down the leaderboard in this season’s Order of Merit, a good performance at this final Asian Development Tour event could hoist him into contention for the coveted Asian Tour cards to be awarded to the top 10 finishers in the OOM.

DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA: Tunyapat Sukkoed of Thailand pictured on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 during Round One of the Aramco Invitational Tournament. The US$ 250,000 event is part of the Asian Development Tour and is held at the Rolling Hills Golf Club, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, between November 29 and December 2, 2023. The top 10 finishers in the season-long Order of Merit will receive Asian Tour cards for the 2024 season. Picture by Paul Lakatos/ Asian Development Tour.

“The round started off pretty well,” said Chan, “then I kind of got into some momentum towards the end of the front nine. I had a few good birdies and a good recovery putt as well,” he added.

“I’m feeling pretty happy about the round today, but definitely lots of room to improve. It was a lot of improvement from last year, and hopefully I can do the same again tomorrow,” he said.

The US$250,000 Asian Development Tour (ADT) event, hosted at the Rolling Hills Golf Club in Dharhan, is the 12th and season-ending tournament in the 2023 season and the race for the 2024 Tour cards could not be more wide open.

DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA: Aaron Wilkin of Australia pictured on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 during Round One of the Aramco Invitational Tournament. The US$ 250,000 event is part of the Asian Development Tour and is held at the Rolling Hills Golf Club, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, between November 29 and December 2, 2023. The top 10 finishers in the season-long Order of Merit will receive Asian Tour cards for the 2024 season. Picture by Paul Lakatos/ Asian Development Tour.

There has been a different victor at each of the 11 events so far this year and, with the sole exception of Thailand’s Kosuke Hamamoto, all the winners are in Saudi Arabia and ready to fight for their future.

Aaron Wilkin of Australia, who won the BRG Open Golf Championship in Vietnam in August, shares third spot just one shot back of the leader, together with Thailand’s Pattaraphol Khanthacha, who won the Singha Pattaya Open in July.

With the afternoon starters now out on the course, a large group is forming in fifth spot on two under, alongside early finishers Masaru Tani of Japan and Thailand’s Nopparat Panichphol.

The field of 120 players will be cut after two days, with the tournament concluding on Saturday.