Sizzling start: Chan opens with 66, trails by 2 stokes

SINGAPORE — Too long to call, too good to miss. Aidric Chan and caddie Paulo Wong couldn’t even agree on the distance — but it didn’t matter. The ball tracked, held its line, and dropped.

A clutch moment that capped a brilliant five-under-par 66, putting Chan just two shots off the lead at the Singapore Open on the International Series on Thursday.

The duo eventually agreed on around 70 feet, give or take — easily Chan’s longest putt this season, and perhaps the longest of his two-year professional career.

He set up the eagle attempt following a well-executed 240-yard approach off a hybrid.

“It was my putting that carried me today,” said the 25-year-old, who admitted there’s still work to be done on his ball-striking.

A recent tweak may be paying off. Just two weeks ago, Chan adjusted his swing under Thai coach Kris Assawapimonporn — mentor to women’s world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul. “My coach made my swing a little flatter, and I felt comfortable with it,” he said.

Chan opened strong with birdies on Nos. 2 and 5. A poor chip led to a bogey on the sixth, but he bounced back immediately with a birdie on the next hole. He added more fireworks with a chip-in birdie on the par-3 14th, narrowly missed chances on 16 and 17—then delivered the exclamation point: that stunning bomb on 18.

With half the field still on the course — including late entry Sean Ramos — Aidric Chan sits tied for second alongside American Charles Porter.

Thailand’s Ekphant Wu surged to the clubhouse lead with a 64, highlighted by seven birdies, four of them coming in a blistering stretch over his final five holes. Just behind, a tightly packed group at 67 includes American John Catlin, Australians Will Florimo and Kevin Yuan and India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar.

Two other Filipinos kept themselves in contention. Justin Quiban carded a 69 with four birdies against two bogeys, while Carl Jano Corpus posted a 70 with three birdies and two bogeys. “Anytime you break par here is good,” said Quiban, who credited a tweak in his putting stance for the improvement. He pointed to a couple of leaked mid-iron shots as the source of his bogeys, but otherwise expressed satisfaction with his ball-striking.

Corpus, who teed off on the back nine, missed a makeable birdie putt on No. 9 but stayed upbeat about his chances.

He also let an opportunity slip on the par-5 16th. After sending his second shot just over the green, Corpus misjudged the chip, leaving it short on the front edge. He needed two more putts, settling for a bogey instead of a potential birdie.

Angelo Que carded a 73, his round undone by three costly three-putt bogeys.

“My ball-striking is good. I’ll be fine,” said the 47-year-old. “I may need to go under tomorrow to make the cut, which I see at even or 1-under.”

Sean Ramos, who withdrew from an Asian Developmental Tour event in Hua Hin, Thailand to take his chances as a reserve, was still out on the course at press time. He eventually gained entry after New Zealand’s Denzel Ieremia pulled out due to injury.