Taiwan's Chang charts Sabah Masters victory

KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia (JP): Taiwan's Chang Tse-peng continued his rise to the forefront of Asian golf yesterday by taking the halfway lead in the US$200,000 Sabah Masters at the Sabah Golf and Country Club.

The 27-year-old from Taipei fired a three-under-par 69 to lead the tournament by one stroke from Singapore's Mardan Mamat, Australians Paul Foley and Robert Stephens, and American Fran Quinn.

"I think if I can shoot three under for two rounds at the weekend, a 70 and 71 for example, I have a very good chance of winning," said Chang, as reported by Asia Omega Tour.

Chang made five birdies and two bogies in his round.

"I hit a lot of good approach shots today and my putting was great," he said.

Chang is a cousin of tennis star Michael Chang.

"I have been playing well all year and am just feeling very comfortable with my game."

Since his maiden professional win in the Taiwan PGA Championship last year Chang has continued to produce a stream of good performances on the Omega Tour.

He was placed joint third in the Asian Honda Classic in Bangkok at the start of the year, behind winner American Tiger Woods, and later finished runner-up to Australian Andrew Bonhomme in the Vietnam Open.

"I have no real ambitions for the year other than to just continue playing well," said Chang.

Kasiyadi, who together with Maan Naasim was named by Satelindo to represent Indonesia, managed to score better yesterday after carding a two-day total of 145 (75 70).

Kasiyadi fired three fine birdies on the 5th, 8th and 9th for a 33 before returning home with a 37 after shooting two birdies and a bogey.

Unfortunately Maan was unable to follow Kasiyadi's better showing only garnering a two-day score of 154 (79 75).

Mamat also fired a three-under-par 69 today to challenge for honors in what is the seventh event of the year on the 1997 Omega Tour.

In form Mamat, who two weeks ago became the first Singaporean to play in the British Open, made five birdies in his round and played one of the shots of the day in making a three on the 427- yard par four 11th.

"I played a terrible tee shot there with a three wood which I snap hooked down the left. I was blocked out with my second by the trees but deliberately snap hooked a four iron 185 metres around the corner to within two metres of the cup," said Mamat.

The 29-year-old is enjoying a purple patch at the moment having won on the Singapore Circuit last week but is wary of the dangers that the 6,927-yard Sabah layout hold.

"On this course anything can happen," added Mamat. "I am playing very well at the moment but I really cannot predict what will happen at the weekend. The back nine especially can give you a lot of problems."

The level of difficulty of the course was reflected by the high halfway cut which was made at six-over-par 150. (rsl)

Results: 139 - Chang Tse-peng (Tpe) 70-69 140 - Maridan Mamat (Sin) 71-69, Paul Foley (Aus) 71-69, Rob Stephens (Aus) 70-70, Fran Quinn (USA) 69-71 141 - Aaron Meeks (USA) 68-73 142 - Chawalit Plaphol (Tha) 72-70 143 - Jim Rutledge (Can) 74-69, Marimuthu Ramayah (Mal) 73-70, Zhang Lian-wei (Chn) 72-71, Gerry Norquist (USA) 72-71, Lee Petters (UAE) 72-71, Thammanoon Sriroj (Tha) 72-71, Mamoru Takahashi (Jpn) 70-73 144 - George Olaybar (Phi) 75-69, Boonchu Ruangkit (Tha) 74-70, Rodrigo Cuello (Phi) 74-70, Simon Owen (Nzl) 73-71, Rob Willis (Aus) 73-71, Christian Pena (USA) 72-72, Ali Kadir (Mal) 72-72, Park Unho (Aus) 71-73 145 - Kasiyadi (Ina) 75-70, Des Terblanche (Rsa) 73-72, Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) 73-72, Mo Joong-kyung (Kor) 73-72, Tatsuhiko Nishikawa (Jpn) 72-73, P. Gunasegaran (Mal) 72- 73, Nam Young-Woo (Kor) 72-73, Scott Laycock (Aus) 69-76 148 - Dominique Boulet (Hkg) 77-71