An eagle on the 17th saw Adilson Da Silva into a share of the lead on Thursday after the first round of the Legends Tour’s Vinpearl DIC Legends Vietnam at Vinpearl Resort Nha Trang in Nha Trang, Vietnam.
Da Silva’s five-under-par 66 included three birdies on the front nine as well as a bogey, and then just a single birdie on the back nine until he made that eagle. He joined Australian Scott Hend in the lead, and they were one ahead of Jyoti Randhawa of India and Greig Hutcheon on Scotland. There were two players on three-under-par in a share of fifth, and 10 players on two-under in a share of seventh.
Chris Williams signed for a level-par 71 and was in a share of 20th, while James Kingston battle to an 11-over 82, and brought up the rear of the field in 60th place in the 54-hole event.
Da Silva is the only man who can potentially catch Peter Baker at the top of the MCB Road to Mauritius, but he needs at least a top-five finish and to finish ahead of the Englishman this week to extend the race to next week’s season-ending MCB Tour Championship-Mauritius.
The Brazilian started well with three birdies in the first five holes, and his only dropped shot of the day came at seven to be out in two-under. He kicked on as the wind strengthened on the back nine with another red number at 12 and one of only two eagles all day on 17.
“My tee shots were really good today,” said Da Silva, whose three wins this year have all come on tree-lined courses quite similar to this week’s venue.
“We were a bit fortunate that the wind never really came on the front nine, then it came in pretty hard on the back nine. I was really happy. I hit the ball well and I putted well, so it was good.
He produced a brave approach shot over water to set up his three at the par-five 17th: “The wind was slightly helping from the right, but I still had quite a long way in with 220 metres to the flag. I hit a nice three-wood and it pitched pin high and released to about 20 feet, and I holed the putt. That was a bonus because if I don’t really hit two big ones I can’t get up on a par-five like that.”
MCB Road to Mauritius number one Baker opened with a 69 to be part of a 10-way tie for seventh that also includes former US Open champion Michael Campbell and four-time DP World Tour winner Jeev Milkha Singh.
