True Thailand Classic: day one report

Michael Hoey shot a course record eight-under-par 64

Michael Hoey shot a course record eight-under-par 64 to take the first-round lead at the True Thailand Classic presented by Black Mountain. Hoey was the only player in the field to hit every green in regulation.

“No bogeys, no fives on the card, and a course record is a nice start,” reflected the Northern Irishman. “I’m swinging the club nicely so hopefully I’ll put three more good rounds together and see what happens.”

“We had ten or 11 holes with not much wind, which was an advantage teeing off early. I hit the ball well, and it suits me that there’s a bit of length off the tee; you can carry a few corners and reach the par fives.”

“I started to hit the ball well in the Middle East, but I was coming 50th or thereabouts each week. At least I was making cuts and making money, but throwing in a few double bogeys was ruining my scorecards. Hopefully this is the start of some more bogey-free stuff.”

Hoey is one shot ahead of a trio in second place - Spain’s Carlos Pigem and Taiwan’s Chien-yao Hung and American David Lipsky. Pigem’s round of 65 was his lowest of his 31 rounds on The European Tour, by four shots.

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Contributing Writer Roderick is the author of the critically acclaimed comic golf novels, Summer At Tangents, which was one of Country Life magazine's Books of The Year for 2024 and nominated for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction, and Crime Wave At Tangents. Golf courses and travel are Roderick’s particular interests. He writes travel articles and general features for the magazine and website and compiles the magazine's crossword. He is a member of Trevose and has played golf in around two dozen countries. Cricket is his other main sporting love. He is also the author of five non-fiction books, four of which are still in print: The Novel Life of PG Wodehouse; The Don: Beyond Boundaries; Wally Hammond: Gentleman & Player and England’s Greatest Post-War All Rounder.