Bo Jin makes another run at Asia-Pacific Amateur with 65

Bo Jin makes another run at Asia-Pacific Amateur with 65

Oklahoma State junior Bo Jin of China had a stressful time getting to the Asia-Pacific Amateur in Thailand

CHONBURI, Thailand (AP) — Bo Jin of China had plenty of stress getting to Thailand, and it was all worth it Thursday when he opened with a 7-under 65 to build a two-shot lead in the Asia-Pacific Amateur.

It's the second straight year Jin is off to a good start, having held the 36-hole lead a year ago in Dubai.

The junior at Oklahoma State overcame a bogey on his first hole at Amata Spring Country Club to lead over TK Chantananuwat of Thailand, James Leow of Singapore and Ryuta Suzuki of Japan.

The winner gets a spot in the Masters next April.

Chantananuwat is the highest-ranked amateur in the field at No. 12, already a winner of a professional event on the Asian Tour earlier this year.

"I reached here in time for one practice round," he said. "I'd have ideally preferred two. And then I made a horrible bogey on the first and I nearly pushed my second shot into the water on the second. It somehow stayed in a bunker and I made a birdie which just changed everything. It was a very important birdie from the bunker.

"It's just the first round so there is a long way to go but I am delighted with the start."

His brother, Cheng Jin, won the Asia-Pacific Amateur in 2015.

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