MANILA, Philippines, October 20 ------ Shinichi Suzuki missed seizing full control in a wild second round of the Thailand Amateur Open but still grabbed a one-stroke lead over India’s Jai Bahl and three local aces despite a one-over 71 as erstwhile leader Klinsrisuk Nippit skied to a 79 at the Panya Indra Golf Club course in Bangkok Wednesday.
Suzuki could’ve posted a bigger cushion heading to today’s pivotal third round but settled for a precarious lead after holing out with back-to-back frontside bogeys that marred a solid backside 33 he spiked with birdies on Nos. 16 and 18. Though he reeled back with bogeys on Nos. 2 and 6, the Manila Southwoods bet, who started the day at joint third two strokes behind Nippit, regained the solo lead with another birdie on the seventh but blew the chance to pull away with miscues on Nos. 8 and 9.
Still, it proved enough to keep him on top at 141 as Nippit, 17, lost his touch and focus in tough conditions, limping with three double bogeys and four bogeys against a lone birdie for a nine-over card after showing the way with a 68 Tuesday. He tumbled to joint 17th at 147, now six strokes behind the Filipino ace. Bahl tied Suzuki with a birdie on No. 14 but yielded a stroke on the 16th for a 71 to drop to 142 in a tie with Thais Thodsawichit Surach, Sarasmut Parin and Piamkul Vanich Ashita, who carded a 70, 71 and 72, respectively.
The other Pinoys, however, virtually bowed out of the title chase with Nomura Cup spearhead Kristoffer Arevalo carding a 75 for a share of 30th at 152, Gab Manotoc fumbling with an 80 after a 73 for a 153 and Jet Hernandez hardly improving with a 76 after a 79 for a 155 in a tie with Edison Tabalin, who stumbled with a 77. Leandro Bagtas also posted a 77 for a 158.
In women’s play, Rianne Malixi topped her opening round 69 with a 68 and stayed at joint second but fell six strokes behind Thai Vongtaveelap Natthakritta, who continued to pound the par-70 course with a superb all-around game halfway through the 72-hole championship.
Natthakritta, the Hanoi SEA Games individual gold medalist, followed up her fiery first round 65 with a solid 66 as she threatened to pull away from the stellar international field at 131, hiking her overnight four-shot lead over the ICTSI-backed Malixi and Kanayart Siripimlapat to six with a sustained assault at the par-70 layout. She actually slowed down with a one-birdie feat at the front after birdying three of the first six holes at the back where she teed off. But her 34-32 card proved enough to net her a huge cushion heading to the last 36 holes of the host country’s premier amateur championship.
Malixi, eager to launch her bid in the morning wave after salvaging a one-under card in a late start Tuesday, three-putted No. 2 instead but quickly recovered with back-to-back birdies from No. 6. She snapped a five-hole par game with another birdie on No. 13 but failed to get up-and-down on the next before regaining the stroke on the 16th for a pair of 34s. But her 137 aggregate kept her too far behind Natthakritta although she expects to gain some grounds when they slug it out in the featured flight Thursday with Prachnakorn Prim, who joined the Filipina ace at second with a 67.
Meanwhile, Lois Kaye Go bounced back from opening 77 with a 70 marked by four birdies but marred by two bogeys and a double bogey as she moved to joint 13th at 147 but 16 shots off the two-day leader. Mafy Singson, on the other hand, hardly checked a seven-over start with a 76 for a 153 while Burberry Zhang stumbled with a 79 for a 159, Abby Abarcas limped with a 83 for 165 and Laurea Duque posting an 84 for a 166.
Source: philstar.com
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