Gotemba, Japan: Randy Bintang seized an early advantage at the 15th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba, leading by one after Thursday’s first round.

The 20-year-old Indonesian, playing early in the morning wave, birdied four of his last six holes on his way to a five-under-par round of 65. The only blemish on his card came with a bogey at the 10th, but overall, Bintang was pleased with his round.

“This is the biggest amateur tournament I have ever played and this is my third time here,” he said. “I’m just starting to play my best. I’m pretty proud because my putting was really good today. I’m really pleased with my game and the chance to play with the best players in the world.”

Bintang has twice previously participated in the AAC Academy, a programme that supports players from emerging golfing nations with additional coaching, training and guidance.

Wang Ngai Shen is one shot back from the lead at four-under. The 21-year-old from Hong Kong, China raced out to three-under after six holes and sandwiched his only bogey of the day on the 13th with birdies at the 10th and 15th.

“This is a tough course. Today, I played really good. My driver is really good, and I hit lots of fairways. My putting is hot,” said Wang, whose highlight came at the sixth where he blazed a tee-shot 340 yards, struck a wedge from 115 yards to 20 feet and holed the putt.

In a strong opening by the Japanese contingent Rintaro Nakano and Taishi Moto also finished at four-under to sit one off the lead.

Nakano had a fantastic start with an eagle at the par-five third hole and picked up birdies at the ninth and 13th to card a 66. Starting at the 10th, Moto dropped a shot at his first hole and then looked to be in trouble when he double-bogeyed the par-four 16th, his seventh hole, but he bounced back with a birdie at 17 and then produced five birdies on his back nine to move back up the leaderboard.

Their countrymen Koichiro Furuse and Shu Fukuzumi finished at three-under alongside last year’s runner-up China’s Ding Wenyi, Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chi-chu and Kent Hsiao, Korean Cho Sung-yeop and Malaysian Rizq Adam Rohizam.

Also among the 23 players who bettered par were Enrique Dimayuga of the Philippines, Vietnam’s Nguyen Anh Minh and Singaporean Ryan Ang.

Defending champion Jasper Stubbs from Australia is two-over.

A championship record of 40 different countries and territories teed off on Thursday, topping a previous record of 39.