Wednesday August 11, 2010, 05:24 PM

Chawalit Plaphol's revival on the Mercedes-Benz Tour continued Wednesday when the Thai national took the clubhouse lead in the 60,000-dollar Mercedes-Benz Masters Singapore.

Chawalit carded an opening round of five-under-par 67 at Laguna National Golf and Country Club, two strokes ahead of compatriot Ronnachai Jamnong, Malaysia's M. Sasidaranand Australian Unho Park.

Eighteen players were unable to finish after a two-and-a-half-hour delay caused by lightning and rain.

Defending champion Mardan Mamat from Singapore shot 70 along with Myanmar's Zaw Moe, Filipino Mars Pucay, Malaysian Khor Kheng Hwai and Scott Barr from Australia.

Chawalit won the ICTSI Mt. Malarayat Championship on the Mercedes-Benz Tour last month and came third in the following event -- the Singha E-san Open -- where he led for the first three days.

The 35-year-old, once the golden boy of Thai golf, had been enduring one of the worst spells of his career over the past 18 months but has bounced back to life on the Mercedes-Benz Tour.

"My driving has come back. It was always one of the best parts of my game. I hit it long and straight without any worry. I don't know why but I lost that for a while but now it has returned," said Chawalit.

Paired with Mamat and Pucay he started on the front nine and went out in one under. He then tore apart the back nine with birdies on 12, 13, 16 and 18.

He won the ICTSI Mt. Malarayat Championship by eight shots and looks like being the man to beat this week. Chawalit has won twice on the Asian Tour and once in Japan during an outstanding career.

Mamat, who claimed the title by three strokes last year, began his defence with a steady round made up of three birdies and one dropped shot.

Thailand's Pariya Junhasavasdikul, winner of this event in 2008, came in with a 73 and Singapore's Lam Chih Bing returned a 75.

Completed first-round scores (par 72):

67 - Chawalit Plaphol (THA)

69 - Ronnachai Jamnong (THA), Unho Park (AUS), M. Sasidaran (MAS)

70 - Mardan Mamat (SIN), Khor Kheng Hwai (MAS), Zaw Moe (MYN), Scott Barr (AUS), Mars Pucay (PHI), Sukree Othman (MAS), Choengchai Panpumpo (THA)

71 - Justin Han (SIN), Wittawat Sae-Ung (THA), S. Murthy (MAS), Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA), Passamet Pogamnerd (THA)

72 - Tran Le Duy Nhat (VNM), Pornsakon Tipsanit (THA), Nakul Vichitryuthasastr (THA), Poh Eng Wah (SIN), Lim Eng Seng (MAS), M. Murugiah (SIN), Quincy Quek (SIN), Nicholas Fung (MAS)

73 - Thanyakon Khrongpha (THA), Varut Chomchalam (THA), Pariya Junhasavasdikul (THA), Johannes Dermawan (INA), Somsak Khaoprathum (THA)

© 2010 AFP/sid