Finland’s Mikko Ilonen fired a five under-par 67 to set the early pace at the inaugural Ballantine’s Championship at the Pinx Golf Club on Thursday.
 
The 28-year-old Ilonen got off to a quick start with two birdies in his first three holes to set up the possibility of winning his third European Tour title at the US$2.9 million event sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and Korean PGA.
 
Asian Tour 2006 Order of Merit winner, Jeev Milkha Singh, overcame a bad flu bout and the effects of a freak accident last week to remained on target for his first win of the year after he was bunched together with Japan’s Shingo Katayama, Korea’s Hwang Inn-choon and Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell in second place on matching 68s.
 
Nine-time Asian Tour winner, Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand was a shot further back on 69 as he shared third position with France’s Raphael Jacquelin, Sweden’s Johan Edfors, Wales’ Garry Houston, Spain’s Carlos Rodiles and Korea’s Jun Tae-hyun.    
 
“I was quickly at three-under par after my first three holes. I had a birdie on the first and I had a good opportunity to make another one again on the second, but missed it. However, I got one back again on the third,” said Ilonen.
 
The two-time European Tour winner will now be riding on his rich vein of form to bring him closer to the honour of being the first to lift the inaugural trophy.
 
“I’ve made a lot of cuts, but I haven’t really played that well. I’ve been kind of building on something and it’s getting a little bit better all the time,” added the two-time European Tour winner.
 
The story of the day belonged to Singh as he demonstrated how the strength of the human spirit was able to triumph above everything else, overcoming the trauma and pain of a freak buggy accident during a pro-am tournament in Kuala Lumpur last week.
 
“We saw the tree and I told my caddie to brake but instead of braking, he pressed the accelerator and we hit it head on. I went flying through the windscreen, hit my head and lucky the windscreen was plastic and not glass, if not I wouldn’t know what would have happened,” recalled Singh, who is also nursing the effects of a flu bout this week.
 
“I had a little bit of concussion. I fell out of the buggy and I haven’t been feeling too good after that,” added Singh.
 
Singh, however is looking forward to this week with renewed vigour and is determined to get his game back on track.
Starting at the 10th tee, Singh came out of the blocks with three successive birdies in his first four holes before closing at the turn with a double bogey.
 
The 36-year old however, bounced back with three successive birdies after the turn to complete a remarkable day.
 
“It wasn’t a good week last week but it’s a new week and I had a good start. That’s all that matters now,” said Singh.
 
The tournament marquee name, Padraig Harrington had a slow start to the tournament, mixing three birdies and an equal number of bogeys to finish on 71.
 
“It was a tough day. You know, I wish I could say that I could have been a shot better here or there but I think 71 is a reasonable start,” said Harrington.
 
Round one of play is still in progress