Indiana golfer leads Asian Amateur
SHENZHEN, China -- Han Ren, a Chinese golfer playing collegiately at Indiana University, shot an opening-round 65 Thursday to lead the inaugural Asian Amateur Championship at Mission Hills Golf Club.
Han's 7-under-par gave him a one-shot lead over South Korean 17-year-old Han Chang-Won. Mhark Fernando of the Philippines is third after shooting 67.
Han, 21, made eight birdies and one bogey to earn the lead in the event, the winner of which will receive an invitation to the 2010 Masters. Augusta National, along with the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation, combined to create this tournament.
Han Ren, a junior at Indiana, is the first Chinese-born athlete to play men's collegiate golf in the United States. He moved to British Columbia, Canada, from Shenzhen in 2003.
"It is too early to think about winning the tournament," Han said. "Winning a ticket to play in the Masters tournament is the biggest attraction of this tournament yet it is also the biggest distraction for me. I need to focus on my game and enjoy every shot."
If he were to get to the Masters, it would not be the first time Han saw four-time Masters champion Tiger Woods. He played three holes with Woods in 2001 during an exhibition at Mission Hills.
"I didn't get to talk to him much because I was very nervous," Han said. "I don't remember what I said to him, but I think he didn't understand me. It was pretty interesting."
In addition to the spot in the Masters, the winner and runner-up will earn a place in the International Final Qualifying for The Open Championship at St Andrews.
The field of 116 players comes from 30 countries of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation, including players from Mongolia, Nepal, Bahrain, Cook Islands, Cambodia and Myanmar.
Organizers of the Asian Amateur also announced that the West Course at Kasumigaseki Country Club, Japan, will host the 2010 Asian Amateur. The club is in Kasahata Kawagoe City, about an hour northwest of Tokyo. The club has hosted the Japan Open four times and the Japan Women's Open once.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
