Tapio Pulkkanen carded his lowest round of the season as he took a three-stroke lead after the first round of the Volvo China Open.
Related: Chacarra secures maiden DP World Tour win at HIO
The Finn, who finished first on the HotelPlanner Tour Rankings in 2017, carded a nine under par 62 at Enhance Anting Golf Club in Shanghai to sit three clear of Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra, who won his maiden DP World Tour title at the Hero Indian Open a fortnight ago.
Pulkkanen played his front nine in four under par and after making the turn he followed birdies on the first and third holes with a chip-in eagle on the fourth. He then made his seventh gain of the day on the par four eighth to reach nine under par, signing for a 62 and a new clubhouse record.
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The 34-year-old will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Mikko Korhonen, who won this tournament in 2019 at Hidden Grace Golf Club in Shenzhen.
Chacarra carded seven birdies and a bogey in his round of 65 and he sits on six under par, two strokes ahead of a clutch of five golfers in a share of third.
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Among that group of players on four under is Bai Zhengkai, the leading Chinese player after the first round. He is joined on that number by the Australian pair of Jason Scrivener and Elvis Smylie, New Zealander Kazuma Kobori and Jordan Gumberg of the United States.
Play was suspended due to darkness at 18:23 with 13 competitors still to finish their first rounds. Play will resume at 07:15 on Friday morning, with no changes to second round tee times.
Player Quotes
Tapio Pulkkanen: “A great start. My putter was really hot, I think I missed just one putt inside 15 feet. A lot of good putts and solid tee to green. It was a good score.
“I think I was a bit lucky with a couple of putts as well, they went in on the edge of the hole. A solid wedge game, a lot of wedges inside six feet, so I was able to make easy birdies as well.
“(On four) I hit my five iron off the tee, one or two clubs too much, and I was quite close to the pin. I tried to hit a low wedge shot to jump forward and it did exactly what I tried, so it was perfect.”
Eugenio Chacarra: “It’s nice to start in a good way. The round was solid from the start. I didn’t make birdie on the first two, which played easy with no wind in the morning, but I knew my game was there. I hit the ball well, made some putts and I’m happy with the start.
“Momentum was great. It was all going my way, putts were going in, I was getting good numbers in the fairway and executing well. That bogey on 13, I hit a great drive into the fairway but ended in a divot. It was unlucky, so that didn’t bother me too much. Luckily, I hit a good shot on 14 to make a birdie.”
