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)