Bangladeshi golfer Siddikur Rahman hit a one-under-par 71 in the opening round of the King’s Cup in Hua Hin, Thailand and is currently six strokes behind co-leaders Prom Meesawat of Thailand and Rikard Karlberg of Sweden. Siddik bogeyed the first and eighth holes around a birdie on the sixth to sit at one-over after nine holes, but back-to-back birdies on the 13th and 14th holes moved him up into an 11-way tie for 31st after round one.
Siddik ranked third – and was the second-ranked Asian – in the Asian Tour Order of Merit going into the season finale at the Black Mountain Golf Club, and with the top four Asian players on the tour earning automatic
spots on Team Asia for the EurAsia Cup in Malaysia in March, he will likely be keeping an eye on his closest rivals.
Meesawat is eighth in the Order of Merit and could sneak into the top four with a victory at Hua Hin. Indian Anirban Lahiri, who currently occupies the fourth and final qualifying spot, hit a three-under 69 on Thursday. South Korea’s Baek Seuk-hyun, seventh on the tour, hit a 76.
However, with a number of other potential threats not playing this week, Siddik’s spot in the top four is all but assured.
-With New Age input
