American Scott Piercy made light work of the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club by firing a blistering 10-under-par 62 to grab the first round lead at the PGA Tour's CIMB Classic Thursday. The bogey-free effort gave the Las Vegas born 36-year-old a three-shot lead over Japan's Hideki Matsuyama in the $7 million co-sanctioned Asian Tour event, the third of the new 2016 PGA Tour season. Piercy, the world No. 42 said a hot putter had been the difference Thursday after a solid but unspectacular tied 25th finish in Nevada last week. "I was really frustrated, especially being at home. I felt like I played absolute worst I could have played and still finished top-25," he told reporters of last week's efforts. "The putts didn't go in last week and lo and behold this week, filled them up pretty good on first day. So, hopefully it continues." While Piercy was dominating the leaderboard, compatriot Scott Brown was picking up the big prize. The 32-year-old walked away with a new sports car after a hole-in-one at the par three 15th. "I made like three hole-in-ones in the last two years on Tour and walking up looking at the card I thought, man, it would be nice to make a hole-in-one and win something. Because the other three I made I got nothing," Brown said. It helped improve his first round mark to four-under 68, good enough for a share of 16th alongside major winners Adam Scott of Australia, Ireland's Padraig Harrington and Stewart Cink of the U.S. The CIMB Classic had been previously played on the Mines Course in the Malaysian capital but the short track proved a birdie fest for the US circuit's finest. But the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country club failed to halt the red numbers with 62 of the 78-man field under par for the first round. Former US PGA champion Keegan Bradley was one who found picking up shots straight forward Thursday as he fired seven birdies and an eagle in a round of 66 to share third spot behind Piercy and Matsuyama. American Ryan Moore was well placed in a tie for eighth at five-under. Lin takes lead China's Lin Xi-yu took the lead Thursday in the windy Blue Bay LPGA, while Lydia Ko struggled in her first round since regaining the No. 1 spot in the world. The 19-year-old Lin shot a 5-under 67 in difficult conditions at Jian Lake Blue Bay. She had the lone bogey-free round on a day when only 10 of the 80 players broke par. Ko opened with a 77, her highest score since a career-worst 80 in high wind last year at Royal Birkdale in the Women's British Open. She won the LPGA Taiwan by nine strokes Sunday to regain the No. 1 spot in the world from Park In-bee. The 18-year-old New Zealander has a tour-high five victories this season, winning three times her last five starts. Austin Ernst was second after a 68. Fellow Americans Ryann O'Toole and Jane Park were at 70 along with South Koreans Jenny Shin and Sei Young Kim. — Agencies
