Two share lead in S. Korea golf event

JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, April 23 (UPI) -- Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Mark Brown shot 7-under-par 65s to share the first-round lead Thursday at the Ballantine's Championship in South Korea.

The European Tour's tournament is being played at Jeju Island's 7,345-yard Pinx Golf Club.

Fernandez-Castano, a native of Madrid, and Brown, from Auckland, New Zealand, continued their strong play after finishing second and third in the China Open in Beijing.

Brown's first 18 holes featured an eagle at the par-5 10th, six birdies and a bogey at the par-3 14th.

"I just played nice and steady," Brown said. "I've started to play a little bit better (and) my confidence is up."

Fernandez-Castano was bogey-free with six birdies.

"It's always important to start with a good round," said the 28-year-old 2008 British Masters champion and a four-time winner on the European Tour.

Korean Kyung-Nam Kang, Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee and Robert-Jan Derksen of Netherlands all shot 6-under 66 and shared third place.