Date: February 15, 2008
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Bransdon reigns in the rain

Australia&aposs David Bransdon and Dutchman Joost Luiten share the first round clubhouse lead after a weather-interrupted first day at the Indonesia Open. Bransdon, an Asian Tour regular, and the unheralded Luiten battled the wet and windy conditions at Cengkareng Golf Club to return matching six-under par 64s and lead by one-stroke at the co-sanctioned event between the Asian and European Tours. Asian Tour number one Liang Wen-chong of China is among those bunched in joint-third place after posting a five-under 65 alongside India&aposs Jeev Milkha Singh and Thailand&aposs Prayad Marksaeng. However, 42 players did not complete their rounds and will return early Friday to finish, leading to probable changes at the top of the leaderboard. Bransdon, though, sizzled in the drizzle, firing seven birdies against a lone bogey on a rain-soaked first day. “I putted really well, drove the ball well too. So it&aposs a pretty satisfying start,” said the Australian. “I made four birdies in a row (from the fourth hole) which got me going and put me right up there.” Luiten also wielded a hot putter like his co-leader. “It was quite tough with the wind (in the morning) but my putter was pretty hot. I just hit a lot of greens and fairways and gave myself a lot of birdie opportunities,” he said. “I want to win tournaments so you have to go for the pins. That&aposs what I did today and it paid off with a lot of birdies,” said Luiten. Liang&aposs early season form also got off to a good start when he came out of the blocks with four birdies on the front nine before closing with a total of seven birdies against two bogeys. One shot further back is a four-strong Australian contingent of Adam Blyth, Scott Barr and Marcus Booth alongside New Zealander Lee Eddie, while Scott Hend is also on four-under but has not completed his round. Eddie&aposs Kiwi compatriot Mark Brown is a further stroke behind at three-under alongside Australian Unho Park and Scott Strange, who will also finish off on Friday morning. New Zealander Steve Alker is a further stroke back on two under after posting 68 on Thursday alongside Australian Gary Simpson, while the Aussie pair of Peter Fowler and Adam Groom, along with Kiwi Richard Lee, are at one-under. Further back are Australians Matthew Millar (70) and David Gleeson, who is unfinished on even par, alongside New Zealanders Gareth Paddison and Stephen Scahill with Aussies Gavin Flint (71), Kane Webber (72) and Jason King (73) all looking for improved showings on Friday. First Round of the Indonesia Open, Jakarta, Indonesia -6 Joost Luiten 64, David Bransdon (Australia) 64 -5 Felipe Aguilar 65, Jeev Milkha Singh 65, Prayad Marksaeng 65, Philip Golding 65, Kyron Sullivan 65, Liang Wen-Chong65, Juan Abbate 65, Thomas Aiken 66 -4 Mikko Ilonen 66, Marcus Both (Australia) 66, Prom Meesawat 66, Scott Barr (Australia) 66, Rhys Davies 66, Edoardo Molinari 66, Adam Blyth (Australia) 66 -3 Unho Park (Australia) 67, Mark Brown (New Zealand) 67, A Suprapto 67 also: -2 Gary Simpson (Australia) 68, Steve Alker (New Zealand) 68 -1 Peter Fowler (Australia) 69, Adam Groom (Australia) 69, E David Gleeson (Australia) E, Matthew Millar (Australia) 70, Gareth Paddison (New Zealand) 70, Stephen Scahill (New Zealand) E +1 Tony Carolan (Australia) 71, Gavin Flint (Australia) 71, +2 Kane Webber (New Zealand) 72 +3 Jason King (Australia) 73