Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin kept up his solid China form by taking a first round lead at the BMW Asian Open yesterday.

Jacquelin, who led after the second round of last week's China Open, looked a cut above the rest at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club and leads by one stroke from Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark in the $2.3 million tournament.

Deaf-born Lee Sung of South Korea produced a fine 68 to take a share of third place with Asian Tour regular Gavin Flint of Australia and Gregory Havret of France.

Chinese Taipei's Lin Wen-hong, playing on an invitation from the club, sparkled with a 69 to tie eight-time European No 1 Colin Montgomerie of Scotland and Australia's Scott Hend.

World No 5 Els, who won the 2005 tournament by a record 13 strokes, struggled on the greens with a couple of three-putt bogeys after the turn but was content with his final score.

"I played good enough," said the Big Easy, who finished second in the weather-delayed Verizon Heritage on the US Tour which concluded on Monday. "I three putted the 10th and 11th but really played quite nicely. Misread a few putts."

Jacquelin, who led last week at nearby Shanghai Silport Golf Club at the halfway stage before falling away at the weekend, found the gusty conditions a breeze. He made seven birdies with just the one dropped shot to make him the man to beat at the tournament co-sanctioned by the European Tour, Asian Tour and China Golf Association.

"I'm doing pretty well at the moment," said Jacquelin, whose sole victory to date came at the 2005 Open de Madrid.

"I played well in Portugal (three weeks ago) and finished second and last week I did well the first two rounds but it was a bit more difficult over the weekend. But the way I hit the ball and the way I made a few putts were pretty good. The winds were getting stronger later in the day and I'm happy to shoot six under.

"It's always good to shoot low in the first round and relax a bit and take the pressure off me. I'm going to play exactly the same tomorrow and take the same feelings that I've had over the last month and we'll see."

Flint, playing in his second season on the Asian Tour, got off to a spectacular start, holing a sand-wedge from 110 yards on the par five second hole for an improbable eagle.

But it was his putting which was the key as he negotiated the 7,326-yard course in a mere 20 putts. "It's definitely exciting to get out there and having a good round straight away. Getting out early I got the best of the conditions," he said.

Lee played some stunning approach shots, with four of his five birdies coming from within 10 feet and the other a chip-in on the par three eighth hole.

World No 8 Retief Goosen made a solid start, reaching the turn in two under par, but struggled with to find his range on the greens coming home to lie at 71. England's Paul Casey, whose luggage has yet to arrive in Shanghai from America, carded a 72 with one bogey against a birdie.

China's best players were Liang Wenchong and Li Chao, who carded matching 72s.

(China Daily April 20, 2007)