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SINGAPORE - Flamboyant Englishman Ian Poulter bounced back from a six-week break to take a one-stroke clubhouse lead at the rain-hit Barclays Singapore Open Thursday, with Ernie Els hot on his heels.
Poulter fired a five-under-par 66 to be one ahead of the South African and little-known Taiwanese player Chan Yih-Shin in the European and Asian Tour co-sanctioned event.
Also safely home one shot further back was a trio led by Japan's Kodai Ichihara, Denmark's Anders Hansen and Frenchman Thomas Levet.
World number two Phil Mickelson was three off the pace after mixing three bogeys, three birdies and an eagle in his 69.
But it was a day marred by rain which lashed the Sentosa Golf Club course all afternoon and when lightning started flashing the players were called in.
Play was suspended for three hours, preventing 78 players from finishing, including Padraig Harrington (par after 10) and Geoff Ogilvy (one under after nine).
Poulter made the most of perfect morning conditions, surprising even himself having not played since the BMW Championship. Instead, he opted to rest ahead of Singapore and a seven-tournament run to the end of the season.
"I haven't played a round of golf for six weeks so I didn't really know what to expect but I practised pretty hard to get ready for the next seven weeks in a row," said the Englishman, who sank six birdies.
"I am always looking for a win, whether it's European Tour, in Asia, or on the PGA. I want to win every week. Hopefully I have got myself in reasonable shape in the six weeks off to have a strong finish to the year."
It was a sharp contrast to last year here when he failed to tee off after his driver was stolen in Shanghai and a replacement did not arrive in time.
Els, whose world ranking has slumped to 22, its lowest in 15 years after a win drought stretching back to the Honda Classic last year, stayed in touch with a fighting bogey-free 67.
The 40-year-old has won a tournament every year since he turned professional in 1989 except this year, and he is desperate to keep the impressive run going.
With just three events left in his season, Singapore appears to be his best chance. He has always done well here, finishing joint second behind winner Jeev Milkha Singh last year.
"It is a good start to the tournament. I felt like I was really in control of my swing today. I hit the ball really nicely. Obviously I would have liked to make some more putts," he said.
"I left a lot of putts out there I feel. That's just the way it has been. I am hitting putts on line but they are not going in. It is a bit of a lull with the putter."
Mickelson, another who finished before the rain hit, said he was happy with his game and warned he would get better as the tournament progressed.
"I putted well and as the week goes on I think I will get better and better as I get accustomed to the speed of the greens and the grass as well as getting into the competition aspect of it," said the American.
The left-hander added that the course was playing harder than last year, when he finished ninth.
"I do not know why the course is seeming to play harder than last year as the greens are soft and receptive, but the rough is a lot thicker in a number of areas. It is much more difficult to hit the fairways."
While Poulter and Els shone, Korea's K.J. Choi slumped to a 74, unable to build on his victory last week at the Johor Open.
Joining him eight off the lead was Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Leading first-round scores (78 players were unable to finish their round):
66 - Ian Poulter (ENG)
67 - Chan Yih-Shin (TPE), Ernie Els (RSA)
68 - Kodai Ichihara (JPN), Anders Hansen (DEN), Thomas Levet (FRA)
69 - Phil Mickelson (USA), Niclas Fasth (SWE), Soren Kjeldsen (DEN), Lam Chih Bing (SIN), Lin Wen-Tang (TPE), Jyoti Randhawa (IND)
70 - David Howell (ENG), Kenichi Kuboya (JPN), Rick Kulacz (AUS), Alexander Noren (SWE), Ted Oh (KOR), Lu Wei-Chih (TPE)
71 - Nick Redfern (ENG), Danny Lee (NZL), Peter Lawrie (IRL), Graeme McDowll (IRL), Jean-Francois Lucquin (FRA), Scott Barr (AUS)
Selected results:
73 - Paul McGinley (IRL), Thongchai Jaidee (THA)
74 - Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP), KJ Choi (KOR)
76 - Michael Campbell (NZL)
- AFP/ir
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