KUALA LUMPUR: Lee Zii Jia crashed out in the first round of the Kumamoto Masters in Japan today.
Just a day after turning down the Sports Ministry's offer to be part of the Road to Gold programme, Zii Jia lost 21-18, 22-20 to Denmark's Anders Antonsen.
Meanwhile, Ng Tze Yong advanced to the second round after downing Taiwan's Wang Tzu Wei 21-12, 21-11.
World No. 15 Tze Yong, however, faces a tall order as he is up against world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen of Denmark next.