JGTO Abroad: Nakajima and Hoshino start Bahrain challenge with matching 68s

JGTO duo Keita Nakajima and Rikuya Hoshino kicked off their campaign solidly at the DP World Tour's Bahrain Championship, both carding matching four-under-par 68s.

Nakajima, who secured a respectable fourth place at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship in the UAE last week, underscored his intention to contend again by trading five birdies with a lone bogey, tying for 13th place.

Hoshino followed suit with a flawless four-birdie round, including three successive gains from the ninth hole, putting himself in the right direction to make his first cut in three starts.

Hoshino had a roaring start to the DP World Tour's 2023/24 season with two consecutive runner-up finishes at the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship and ISPS HANDA Australian Open late last year. However, he could not replicate those performances in his last two starts in the Middle East.

Frenchman Tom Vaillant set the early pace after firing a 64, finishing one shot ahead of Joel Girrbach of Switzerland and South Africa's Zander Lombard.

Another Japanese in the fray, Masahiro Kawamura, posted a 70, tying for 41st place.

Ends.