Australia’s Lawry Flynn took advantage of an early start to lead the BRG Open Golf Championship 2024 in Vietnam, today, his five under par score enough to secure the clubhouse lead as conditions worsened.

He was later joined in first spot by late finishers Sydney Chung of the USA and Thailand’s Thitipan Pachuayprakong, both of whom birdied the final hole to share the lead going into the second day of this 54 hole tournament.

Making his debut on the Asian Development Tour, Flynn also had to contend with windy conditions at the Legend Da Nang Golf Resort on the Nicklaus Course, venue for the US$100,000 ADT event.

“It was a bit of a slow start this morning,” he revealed after his round. “I started off on hole one and made a couple of good pars early on and then the wind really picked up.”

“I got on the par three, the fourth, and I just started a little too far right, missed the green by a long way and didn’t get up and down,” he said.

“I was like, `wow this is going to be a test today`, and then from there, I just made no mistakes.”

“I hit it in all the good spots and putting at the end of the day helped me from that 10–15 foot range, I holed a few coming in and yeah, five under,” he laughed.

Thitipan Pachuayprakong of Thailand pictured in action at the BRG Open Golf Championship 2024 in Vietnam. The US$100,000 Asian Development Tour event is being held at the Legend Da Nang Golf resort, Nicklaus Course, from August 29-31, 2024. Picture courtesy of Danang Fantasity.

After making it through the 2024 Qualifying School of the Asian Tour, Flynn is making his first visit to Vietnam and was full of praise for the course, despite its windy welcome.

This course is tough,” he said. “It’s long, water on every hole and it’s in great condition. It’s a good test for a tournament,” he added.

Thitipan and Chung, friends on and off the course, certainly enjoyed each others company when paired together for the opening round.

“It was a good day for me,” said Thitipan after his round. “Good putting, good driving, playing with a good friend, so it made me very relaxed today,” he added.

Chung also took advantage of the camaraderie, overcoming a shaky start to follow along.

“I didn’t get off to a great start,” he said. “I was two over after five holes. He (Thitipan) was playing really well at the start so I re-evaluated my game plan on how I was going to tackle this course, and honestly I just kind of copied him the whole way from hole six on, and luckily we made some birdies,” he laughed.

“At the start of the round, the first nine holes, it was really tough and blowing really hard. But once we got to around hole 12, the wind actually switched so it made all the holes coming in much easier. By the last three or four holes it had completely died down so we were both able to take advantage of that.”

Sydney Chung of the USA pictured in action at the BRG Open Golf Championship 2024 in Vietnam. The US$100,000 Asian Development Tour event is being held at the Legend Da Nang Golf resort, Nicklaus Course, from August 29-31, 2024. Picture courtesy of Danang Fantasity.

Vietnamese amateur Doan Uy was another of the morning starters to enjoy the weather advantage, his four under par score included two bogeys and he heads a group in fourth spot which includes Aldric Jose Chan of the Philippines, Nopparat Panichphol of Thailand and Australia’s Kyle Michel.

Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig, already a double winner in Vietnam this year after his victory in the Nam A Bank Masters in June and the Lexus Challenge in March, is only two shots back of the leaders and sits in eighth spot alongside Thailand’s Runchanapong Youprayong.

Six Thai players – Witchayapat Sinsrang, Jakraphon Premsirigorn, ADT All Thailand Partnership winner Kammalas Namuangruk, Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij, Tawit Polthai and itthipat Buranatanyarat – share tenth spot on two under par, alongside Vietnam amateur Nguyen Tuan Anh, India’s Aman Raj, Eric Gallardo of the Philippines and Afif Fathi of malaysia.

All players completed their first round successfully and play will continue as scheduled for day two of the tournament. Play will commence at 6am for the morning wave, with the afternoon groups beginning at 10.40am.