Wi leads Okinawa Open

NAHA, Okinawa -- Korea's Charlie Wi fired a flawless 6-under-par 65 to earn the first-round lead in the $830,000 Okinawa Open at Naha Golf Club on Thursday.

The methodical Wi, who earned his PGA TOUR card at his seventh try at PGA TOUR Q-school earlier this month, played superbly in the wind, making six birdies to lead by one stroke in the event jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour.

A shot back are Chinese Taipei's Lin Chie-hsiang and Fijian Dinesh Chand while bunched at 4 under include American Ty Tryon, India's Jeev Milkha Singh, Thailand's Thammanoon Srirot and Chinese Taipei's Wang Ter-chang, fresh from a third-place finish at last week's Volvo Masters of Asia.

"The wind changed totally today compared to the practice round, so I had a hard time figuring out which direction it was blowing," said Wi, who finished second here last year.

"I have never won in Japan but I always play well over here. I am going to play in the U.S. next year but if I play well this week, and maybe win, it will be great start (to 2005)," added the Korean.

Fijian Chand used his big-hitting game to great effect at the tree-lined Naha layout, sinking six birdies against one dropped shot as he ended the day just one off the pace. Lin, who recorded two top-10s on home soil this year, was 6 under for his round before dropping a bogey at the par-3 17th hole.

The 20-year-old Tryon, who made headlines by earning his PGA TOUR card at the age of 17 back in 2001, started his campaign strongly with a 67 after a round that included four birdies. Former U.S. Ryder Cup player Scott Hoch returned a 70.

Japan's Toru Taniguchi, who finished the 2004 season in second place on the Japan money ranking, shot a 68 to lie within striking distance of the leader.

The Okinawa Open is the opening event on the 2005 season for both the Asian Tour and Japan Tour.