Golf: Smail cards a 64 in Japan

David Smail. Photo / Getty Images

David Smail looks to have found some form on the Japan Golf Tour.

The former New Zealand No 1 has failed to finish higher than a tie for 35th in four starts on the tour this year but he is showing early signs of life at the Totoumi Hamamatsu Open, carding an eight-under par 64 in yesterday's opening round to join Masafumi Kawase, Hidemasa Hoshino and Hiroo Kawai in a four-way share of the lead.

Smail, who turns 41 today, was five-under through his front nine and added another three birdies on the back in a bogey-free round, his best 18 holes of the year by three strokes.

Meanwhile, New Zealand's Brad Shilton is tied for 12th nearing the end of the opening round of the OneAsia tour's SK Telecom Open in South Korea.

Shilton mixed six birdies with five bogeys in a one-under par round of 71, which puts him five shots adrift of the leader, Australian Andre Stoltz. Australian Scott Arnold and hometown hero KJ Choi, fresh from a victory on the PGA Tour last week, are tied for second at five-under.

- NZPA