A 'freewheeling' Peter Uihlein continued his impressive form since recovering from a wrist injury to claim the lead after the first round of the True Thailand Classic.
Uihlein was forced to withdraw from the Omega Dubai Desert Classic last month due to the problem, but returned to action at the Maybank Championship Malaysia two weeks later and finished ninth in Kuala Lumpur.
The former European Tour rookie of the year then finished fourth in the Perth International — where he also led after round one — and carried that form into the opening day in Hua Hin with nine birdies and one bogey in a brilliant 64 at Black Mountain Golf Club.
Uihlein, who enjoyed a holiday in Phuket with former Ryder Cup star Nicolas Colsaerts last week, revealed that his expectations were low after struggling in practice for the last three days.
“Last week I had a nice vacation and didn’t touch a club, which was nice,” American Uihlein told European Tour Radio. “You come up here with a clean slate and a fresh start.
“I hit it so badly on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, so I was kind of bummed. So it’s nice to do this today. Once the tournament got going, I just relaxed. I putted well and the putter is still hot, which is nice.
“I birdied the first two holes and then duck-hooked into the water on the next. Sam, my caddie, said ‘Man, you look so depressed.‘
“I guess with the way I’ve been hitting it, I was just annoyed and frustrated. After that, I just kind of free-wheeled it and had some fun.”
At eight under par Uihlein led by one from Sweden’s Pelle Edberg, who had moved into the outright lead with three holes to play before two late bogeys.
Edberg, who is one of seven players in the field to use the venue as their winter training base, had started on the back nine with two pars before carding birdies on six of the next seven holes to race to the turn in 30.
Birdies on the first, second and sixth then took the world number 225, who is seeking a first European Tour title in his 200th event, to nine under par, but bogeys on the seventh and ninth — he found sand twice on each hole — meant the 36-year-old had to settle for a 65.
Despite being eight under par for 10 holes, Edberg insisted the thought of shooting the first 59 in European Tour history had not crossed his mind.
“It didn’t actually. Maybe I should have thought about that,” Edberg said. “I played so good I wasn’t looking at the numbers too much. It was a stress-free day.
“I hit some great tee shots, long and straight, and it gave me a few birdie chances out there. The fairways are firm enough and if you hit the fairways, there’s a few wedges out there.
“I’ve been playing here a lot. I know the course better than my home course in Sweden, which says a lot. I know my way around here. I’ve spent two to three months here during winter for the last four years. I’m enjoying myself.”
On a day of low scoring, Scotland’s Scott Jamieson and Spain’s Javier Colomo shared third place after error-free rounds of 66, with England’s Gary Boyd and Robert Dinwiddie, Scotland’s Simon Yates and Welshman Rhys Davies among those a shot further back.
Home favourite Thongchai Jaidee, who spent three days in a Bangkok hospital with a virus which forced him to withdraw from the Maybank Championship Malaysia and miss last week’s WGC-Cadillac Championship, was five shots off the pace after a 69 as he looked to go one better than last year’s second place.
Defending champion Andrew Dodt, who has been suffering from the flu, birdied the last two holes to return a 73, while fellow Australian Jason Scrivener had recorded the 11th hole-in-one of the season with an ace from 163 yards on the third in his 72.
