Thammanoon leads Tugu Pratama c'ship by one shot

Thammanoon leads Tugu Pratama c'ship by one shot

JAKARTA (JP): Heavy drizzle did not bother Thammanoon Sriraj
of Thailand as he took the lead after the second day of the Tugu
Pratama PGA Championship at the 7,141-yard Bumi Serpong Damai
Golf and Country Club, Tangerang, West Java, yesterday.

The 28-year-old Thai finished the rain-interrupted day with a
six-under-par 66 for a 36-hole total of 11-under-par 133 in what
is the 19th round of the Asian PGA Omega Tour.

Swede Daniel Chopra trailed in second place after carding
five-under-par 67 for a total of 10-under-par 134.

The heavy rain, which delayed the US$250,000 tournament for
one and a half hours, meant five golfers were unable to complete
their second rounds. But none of them is in a position to
threaten the front runners.

Thammanoon and Chopra had started the day in a tie for the
lead with five other players, but the Thai, playing in the first
group out, birdied holes three, four, six and eight to lead with
a four-under-par 34 over the first nine holes.

Thammanoon made a bogey on the 10th but followed with three
birdies on holes 12, 15 and 18 on the course designed by American
legend Jack Nicklaus.

"I couldn't miss on the greens today," said Thammanoon, who
finished second on the Omega Tour's Pakistan Steel Masters two
weeks ago and won the tour's Singha Thai Prasit Bangkok Open in
March. Thammanoon has also won three times on the Thai PGA Tour
this year, finishing second on the final money list behind Thai-
based Australian Paul Foley.

Chopra, who will celebrate his 23rd birthday next month, made
a bogey on the second but then made birdies on holes four and
five and an eagle on hole six.

"I played very well today. The key for me now is not to change
anything and just to keep playing the same way over the final two
days," said Chopra, who started playing golf at the age of eight.

Chopra, who finished second in the Indonesia Open in March and
also finished second in the Czech Open this year on the European
Tour, carded two birdies, on holes 10 and 13, on the back nine.

"I'm not very happy because I should have been able to make
eight or seven under par," he complained.

"If I keep playing the way I played in the second round I
should win. But there would be more pressure because I'm in the
leading group," said the Star Trek TV series fan.

American John Kernohan, winner of the first Major of the year
on the Omega Tour, is one stroke behind Chopra on nine-under-par
135 after posting a 67.

Veteran Madasamy Murugiah of Singapore, the tournament's two-
time winner, finished fourth after carding a three-under-par 69
for a total of eight-under-par 136.

"Today is a cutoff point so there are more pressures," said
Murugiah, who has yet to win a title this year.

"I have to finish in the top 60 on the Omega Tour this year
because if I don't I have to take part in the qualifying round
next year," said Murugiah who is ranked 82.

Indonesia's Maan Nasim, Burhan Bora, Bachtiar Sanja and
Ilyasyak qualified for today's third round and have the right to
challenge for part of the cash prizes on offer. (yan)

Results:
133 - Thammanoon Sriroj (Tha) (67,66)
134 - Daniel Chopra (Swe) (67,67)
135 - John Kernohan (USA) (68,67)
136 - M Murugiah (Sgp) (67,69), Fan Quinn (USA) (67,69)
137 - Shin Yong-jin (Kor) (69,68)
138 - Paul Foley (Aus) (71,67), Jaev Milkha Singh (Ind) (70,68),
Kim Jong-duk (Kor) (70,68), Eric Rustand (USA) (69,69),
Charlie Wi (USA) (68,70)
139 - Hendrik Buhrmann (RSA) (72,67), Chua Goon Soon (Sgp)
(71,68), Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) (69,70), Lie Joon-suk (Kor)
(68,71), Clay Devers (USA) (68,71), Nico Van Rensburg (USA)
(67,72)
140 - Kelly Walker (Sco) (74,66), Stuart Bouvier (Aus) (73,67),
Anun Atwal (Ind) (72, 68), Jeff Senior (Aus) (70,70)
141 - Mike Cunning (USA) (72, 69), Mardan Mamat (Sgp) (72, 69),
Brad Andrews (Aus) (71,70), Tiai Chi-huang (Tpe) (71,70),
Jerry Smith (USA) (70,71), Li Wan-sheng (Tpe) (67,74)