Panuphol calls the shots

Thai young gun Panuphol Pittayarat shot a second-round 68 to consolidate his lead after the halfway stage of the Championship at the Laguna National Golf and Country Club here yesterday.

The 21-year-old, who carded an astonishingly flawless 63 on Thursday, sank his lone bogey in two days on the second hole but picked up five birdies, including the finishing ninth hole, to take one-stroke lead with a total 13-under-par 131 in the Asian-European co-sanctioned Tour.

It was a good recovery for Panuphol who has missed the cut in all three Asian Tour events he has entered this year. He is now in contention for his first Asian Tour title after coming close in the 2012 Hero Indian Open where he bogeyed the last hole and missed out on a play-off berth with Richie Ramsay and compatriot Thaworn Wiratchant.

“The weather is really hot today. The two birdies in my last three holes were nice to end my round. That cools me up a bit. It was an opportunity for me on the last hole. I gave myself chances. I really wanted to make that long putt to take the outright lead. I am happy I did it. My tee shots were on the fairways. I gave myself chances to put the ball closer to the hole. It was a little breezy today and it kind of made things tougher than yesterday but I managed to finish high,” said the promising Thai star who said good putts helped him 

“The course here is big but with plenty of ponds. My game plan is to hit the fairways first and then hit one shot at a time. It’s nice to be putting myself in a good position heading into the last two rounds. I haven’t started thinking about the title yet but it would be nice to win,” said Panuphol who was one stroke ahead of Australian Scott Hend, Chilean Filipe Aguilar and American David Lipsky.

Hend fired the day’s best score of a 65, which featured eight birdies and a lone bogey on the 14th for a total 12 under par 132. 

“The weather’s so hot! It’s hard to keep your composure in such hot playing conditions. I am used to this kind of weather but it still comes to a point where your body just cannot take it and it makes you lose concentration. You just need to drink lots of water and keep yourself hydrated out there,” added the five-time Asian Tour winner.

“I’m managing well so far. Two more rounds to go and we will see what happens. I think I am just lucky. I always drive the ball as hard as I can since I took up golf. I think I am just lucky to have the right muscle-make up and flexibility. Driving distance is the key to play well on this course. I am happy to have played well today.”

Aguilar was all square at the back nine but regained his composure at the front with four birdies, three successive in the last three holes before signing off with a 67.

“I finished off with three birdies but it was a really cold start today. It took me a while to get the rhythm going and I had a couple of birdies and couple of bogeys. Overall, though, it was a very good round and the last couple of holes I hit it stiff. I hit it close on 16, made a very good putt on the 17th and then hit the pin on the 18th hole, so I’m very happy,” said the 39 year old with only one Asian Tour win in Indonesia in 2008. American Lipsky hit a an error-free 68 featuring four birdies on the first, second, eighth and 16th. Following at joint fifth were Dane Anders Hansen, Indian Rahil Ganjee and South Korean Baek Seuk-hyun, each with 11-under-par 133.

Another Thai in the top 10 was Arnond Vongvanij who hit a 69 for a total 10-under-par 134, which placed him at eighth alongside Swede Kristopher Broberg. 

 

Pettersen grabs Shootout lead

Norway’s Suzann Pettersen birdied two of her last three holes on Thursday (yesterday Bangkok) at Dallas to grab a one-shot lead at the LPGA North Texas Shootout.

Pettersen played without a bogey and her five-under par 66 gave her a one-stroke lead over a group of six players headed by American star Michelle Wie. Pettersen is playing her second event since she was sidelined for four weeks with a back injury and admitted she’s still finding her groove.

Pettersen moved atop the leaderboard with birdies at seven and eight, her 16th and 17th holes of the day at Las Colinas Country Club in suburban Dallas. “I’m hitting the ball great,” said Pettersen who finished tied for 28th last week in San Francisco. “Today I was actually feeling a little bit tense to start, which is a good sign. So nice to be back.”