Thaworn powers to joint lead at Malaysian Masters<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Thaworn Wiratchant cruised into position
\nfor back-to-back titles in Asia when he carded a five-under-par
\n67 to become the joint third-round leader at the US$275,000
\nMalaysian Masters Saturday.<\/p>\n
The 34-year-old Thai, who has been oozing with confidence
\nsince winning the Singapore Open in June, put on another
\nmasterful performance to join overnight leader Scott Kammann at
\nthe top of the leaderboard at 13-under-par 203.<\/p>\n
The American ground out a 69, holing a 10-foot birdie at the
\nlast to tie the Thai.<\/p>\n
The leading duo are a stroke ahead of China's Zhang Lian-wei,
\nwho signed for a four-under-par 68 while Taiwanese veteran Chung
\nChun-hsing kept himself in contention with a bogey-free 70 that
\nleft him two shots off the pace.<\/p>\n
Thaworn, who has one of the most unorthodox swings on the
\nTour, carded five birdies at Kota Permai Golf and Country Club,
\nincluding an unlikely chip-in at the par three 17th. \"I'm
\nconfident of winning again.<\/p>\n
\"Somehow, I've been very confident with my game after my
\nsuccess in Singapore. I can see myself lifting the trophy
\ntomorrow.<\/p>\n
\"I pushed my tee shot at 17 into the grass bunker when someone
\nin the crowd distracted me. But chipping in for birdie was great
\nand I should thank the guy who made the noise. I missed a birdie
\nopportunity at 18 (for the outright lead) but I will birdie it
\ntomorrow to win the title,\" said the self-assured Thai.<\/p>\n
Thaworn has found great success in his forays to Malaysia in
\nthe past, winning a total of eight titles including the 1989
\nMalaysian PGA Championship and the 1996 Sabah Masters, which was
\nhis first Asian Tour success.<\/p>\n
Winning Sunday would earn Thaworn a slice of history as this
\nwill be the final Malaysian Masters. Organizers have announced
\nthat it will be replaced with the $500,000 Asian Masters, which
\nwill be the final stop on the 2002 Asian Tour.<\/p>\n
\"It would be nice to become the last winner of the Volvo
\nMasters of Malaysia. But I've got to play another 18 holes. My
\ngame is very good right now because I've been practicing hard in
\nrecent weeks,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Tennessee-born Kammann, who led by one at the halfway stage,
\nonly came alive in the inward nine with four birdies against a
\ndropped shot at 17, when he three putted for the first time this
\nweek.<\/p>\n
For the second day in a row, China's Zhang struggled in the
\nheat. He blitzed the front nine with four birdies, dropping a
\nmonster 30-footer at the par four eighth but scrambled on the
\nback nine with a bogey at 10 and birdie at 12.<\/p>\n
Malaysia's P. Gunasegaran raised the local cheers when he
\nsigned the day's best card of seven-under-par 65 to move to joint
\nfifth place on 10-under, three behind the leaders. Victory would
\nmake Gunasegaran the first and last winner of the Malaysian
\nMasters as he was the inaugural champion in 1994 before the event
\njoined the Asian Tour.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thaworn-powers-to-joint-lead-at-malaysian-masters-1447899208",
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