Koshiro Maeda struck early by carding a first-round six-under-par 64 to lead the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament on Thursday.
The 25-year-old leads a tournament for the first time this season after trading seven birdies against one bogey to hold a two-shot advantage over Tomoharu Otsuki and Suguru Shimoke at the Phoenix Country Club.
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Maeda started promisingly with three birdies in his first five holes. He dropped a shot on the par -three six but recovered quickly with another birdie on the seventh hole.
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He then reeled in three birdies on holes 12, 13 and 17 in his back-nine, which he credited to a change in putter for giving him a strong head start in the third last event on the JGTO.
“My shots were good last week, but my putting wasn’t working. I tried different things and eventually changed the neck of my mallet putter. Even in practice yesterday, the ball felt like it grabbed the line better on big-breaking putts. That gave me a lot of confidence today,” said Maeda.
Despite feeling slightly under the weather, Maeda continued to approach the round with a fresh mindset.
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“I only played the front nine on my practice round and left the back nine to my experienced caddie. I focused on hitting the shots he instructed, which might have been good for me.
“I’m not thinking too far ahead. I just want to keep playing steadily so I can be in the last group on the final day.”
Hideki Matsuyama, meanwhile, posted a 70 to trail Maeda by six shots in tied-27th place.
