Defending champion Ben Campbell from New Zealand, Australian Kevin Yuan and Japan’s Kazuki Higa all carded seven-under-par 63s to seize the clubhouse lead mid-way through the first round of the US$2 million Link Hong Kong Open today.

They lead from Indian Rashid Khan and Korea’s Jaewoong Eom, who fired 64s, here at the Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling.

Campbell famously holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole here last year to edge Australian Cam Smith by one and picked up where he left off today. He also birdied the 18^th once more, although that was midway through his round as he started on the back nine.

Persistent rain all week, which meant yesterday’s Pro-Ams had to be cancelled, has left the course very wet under foot. With little roll on the ball competitors are facing a very different golf course.

Ben Campbell. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“I said to Mike my caddy, you know, we sort of have to forget everything about this course,” said Campbell.

“Prior knowledge and how we played it last year goes out of the window because my driver wasn’t going anywhere near as fast, everything was just stopping.

“So, yeah, I think it was just one of those days you just had to sort of play the course right in front of you and be pretty aggressive. Because, yeah, obviously you weren’t bouncing off into bad places or anything.”

His win last year was his first on the Asian Tour and has been something of a turning point in his career. In July he claimed the International Series Morocco and along with a host of other strong outings he is currently fourth on both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings.

He added: “I think my driving and putting are important around here, I didn’t miss a fairway today. I’ve been driving the ball really well lately and then you know, I managed to hole a few good putts on the back nine. I think that’s going to be the key out there.”

Kevin Yuan. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

With only three events remaining this season, including this week, the 33-year-old from Queenstown needs a prolific finish to catch American John Catlin on the Asian Tour Merit list but The International Series Rankings – which sees the winner earn a prized place on next year’s LIV Golf League – is wide open. Catlin also leads the rankings.

Yuan is at the other end of the Merit list. Sitting in 56^th place he is in a fight to keep his Tour card for next year, as the top 65 retain their playing privileges.

Yuan said: “It has definitely been on my mind. Playing the Asian Tour for the past couple of years, it is such a strong Tour. I haven’t been playing my best, as the results have shown. It is a huge goal to play well this week and hopefully next week to secure my card.”

He started the season promisingly by finishing fifth in the Malaysian Open, for one of his finest finishes on the Asian Tour – his best is equal second in last year’s International Series Vietnam – but he’s struggled to replicate that form since.

“I am very happy with how I played today,” he added.

“I started off pretty strong, with a birdie on the first and third and had opportunities on four and five. I was rolling the putter well. It’s been pretty good and then I tried to keep it in the fairway for the last stretch.”

Korean Tom Kim, one of the event’s marquee players making his first appearance on the Asian Tour in two and a half years, returned a 71.

Kazuki Higa. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“I played so well today, but missed so many putts on the edge,” said the 22-year-old, now a three-time winner on the PGA Tour.

“Really nothing I could do, played really well. Ended up one over, but didn’t feel like one over. Just gotta keep going at it.”