A flawless opening round by SSP Chawrasia (66) put him in an ideal position in Tied-third and two paces off the leader, Antonio Lascuna (64) of the Philippines at the US $ 750,000 Leopalace21 Myanmar Open co-sanctioned with Japan Golf Tour on Thursday.
Chawrasia, who like many players in India and around the world, is seeking to secure his place at the Rio Olympics, led a great start for the Indians in the first round. Two-time Asian Tour winner, Rashid Khan was Tied-ninth with a bogey free 67 while three others Himmat Rai, Shiv Kapur and Arjun Atwal shot 68 each to be Tied-13th.
Rai closed with a bogey, while Kapur bogeyed twice with three-putts on his 16th and 17th holes, the seventh and eighth of the course and Atwal dropped a shot each on two par-fives during 68 at the Royal Mingalardon Golf and Country Club.
Gaganjeet Bhullar (70), who closed with a double bogey, was Tied-49th, while Rahil (71) was Tied-64th and Chiragh Kumar (73) was Tied-104th. Chawrasia, who ended last week in Singapore with a 67, carried on the form as began strongly with four birdies between the second and sixth holes. But there were only two more birdies after that.