Australia’s Matias Sanchez leads New Zealand Open as Jeeno Thitikul struggles in Singapore
Heavy rain at Millbrook sees many, including Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho, fail to finish, as American Auston Kim takes one-shot lead at Sentosa
Matias Sanchez battled bad weather and bad light to take an early clubhouse lead he acknowledged “doesn’t mean a whole lot” in the New Zealand Open on Thursday.
The Australian carded a seven-under-par 64 on the Remarkables course at Millbrook Resort, just draining his last putt with play suspended for the day because of darkness.
Heavy rain had delayed the start by three hours, meaning almost half the field, including local amateur Yuki Miya, who was six under with five holes to play, have yet to finish their first rounds.
Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho was one under with seven holes to play when the end came.
Sanchez’s 64 left him two strokes clear of Kevin Na, back on the Asian Tour after his LIV Golf journey ended, and Wade Ormsby, who was playing the Coronets layout.
“I was just really happy to get it done, get the round in,” said Sanchez of his bogey-free round. “This [event] is right up there, so to do it here, it’s really special, but I know it’s a quarter of the way down. It doesn’t really mean a whole lot.”