Lyle of Australia leads the Asian qualifier for the British Open by one

SINGAPORE -- Australia's Jarrod Lyle shot a 4-under 67 Thursday and has a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Asian qualifying tournament for the 2006 British Open.

The top three players among the 33 participating in the two-round tournament that ends Friday will qualify for the British Open, set for July 20-23 at Royal Liverpool.

Lyle birdied eight holes and eagled another, but could have had a bigger lead if not for a pair of double-bogeys on the par-72 Serapong Course at at the Sentosa Golf Club.

"I played really solid. Holed a few putts and despite making a few bogeys out there, I was just solid at the back and made a few birdies coming in," said Lyle, who spent nine months in the hospital battling leukemia in 1999. "I'm just stoked with the round."

Fellow countryman Unho Park was one stroke back after shooting a 4-under 68.

India's Shiv Kapur and Jeev Milkha Singh were both two strokes behind Lyle. Richard Moir of Australia, who played in the 2005 British Open, and Japan's Soushi Tajima were tied for fifth at 2-under 70.

Korea's Sung Lee Sung, who was born deaf, Tse-peng Chang of Taiwan and Australians Scott Barr and Adam Le Vesconte posted 71s. Local hero Mardan Mamat, who became the first Singapore native to win the on the European Tour erlier this season when he captured the Singapore Open, struggled to a 73.

Australian Andrew Buckle, the Asian Tour's Order of Merit leader, struggled with a 4-over 76. And fellow Australian Terry Pilkadaris was disqualified after reporting thst he had mistakenly carried 15 clubs in his bag, one club more than allowed, in his even-par 72.

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