Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant says he is ready to launch his final assault on the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship title after a two-under 70 gave him a one-shot third-round lead yesterday.
The 11-time Asian Tour winner fended off the challenges of compatriot Chinnarat Phadungsil by one shot to head into the final round of the US$300,000 tournament with a three-day total of 10-under 206.
Chinnarat returned with the day’s best score of 67 to take second place on 207, with Malaysia’s Iain Steel a further shot back in third after the Malaysian added a 71 to his previous rounds of 68 and 69.
PHOTO: LIU HSIN-DE, TAIPEI TIMES
Rookie Ben Fox of the US together with Australia’s David Gleeson took a share of fourth place on matching 209s.
Taiwan’s leading contenders were Tsai Chi-huang on 211 after a 73, Sung Mao-chang on 213 after a third successive 73, while Lu Wen-teh, Lin Wen-tang and Kao Bo-song were in a group on 214.
Thaworn, who teed off on the front nine, pared his opening three holes before successive birdies on the fourth and fifth got him to 10-under.
The Thai then dropped his only shot of the day at the par-four 12th, before responding with another birdie on the closing 18th at the Linkou International Golf Club.
“A two-under-par score is a good result for me today as the wind conditions were really strong out there. I hope it does not get any worse tomorrow,” said Thaworn, of impending Typhoon Fanapi expected to hit Taipei today. “I played well given the conditions, but the most important thing for me tomorrow [Sunday] is to continue to stay focused and play the way I’ve been playing the last three days.”
Chinnarat, who started the day tied for seventh, credited his accurate driving for moving him up the leaderboard quickly into second place.
“I managed to hit many good tee shots today. My second shots were not very good as they went all over the fairways, but I was able to hole my putts,” said the 21-year-old, who marked his card with six birdies and one bogey on the par-four ninth.
Playing alongside Thaworn, Steel opened with a birdie, but dropped a shot on his second hole. A birdie on the par-three fifth brought him back to one-under, before he made pars on every hole to reach the turn in 35.
The 39-year-old then birdied the 10th hole to move within one shot of Thaworn, who could only par his hole. However, two bogeys on the 15th and 16th derailed his chances of moving further ahead on the leaderboard.
Steel recovered well with an all-important birdie on the closing par-five 18th to eventually sign for a 71 and a place in the final group today, weather permitting.
Additional reporting by Staff Writer
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