THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Timely birdie gives Settee one-stroke lead in Thailand Mixed

Timely birdie gives Settee one-stroke lead in Thailand Mixed

Settee Prakongvech sank a finishing birdie to grab a one-stroke lead over Thai LPGA No. 1 players Atthaya Thitikul and Arpichaya Yubol after round three of the Bt3-million Thailand Mixed organised by Trust Golf at the Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin on Saturday.

Timely birdie gives Settee one-stroke lead in Thailand Mixed Atthaya Thitikul and Arpichaya Yubol 

The 27-year-old from Chonburi province recovered from two bogeys at the start of the back nine to fire an eagle on the 13th hole followed by four straight birdies from hole 15 to finish with a 65. He finally stopped the female domination at the top of the leader board with a total 19-under-par 197 in the mixed-gender tournament.

“At the start, I just expected to be somewhere near the leaders but never thought I would take the lead. I just focused more on my putts rather than on the scoreboard,” said Settee, who will try to end his drought of titles since his only professional win in the All Thailand Golf Tour in Chanthaburi in July 2019.

“I’m glad to be in the leading group again. It’s even special to be in the same group with top Thai LPGA players and see how they play. Of course they will have the advantage [shorter total distance] to set up better opportunities in the short game. So, I have to make sure that my iron works well,” said Settee, who came through the qualifying tournament on Monday.

Settee will have two promising teenagers breathing down his neck on Sunday. Atthaya, Order of Merit winner in 2020, and Arpichaya, the 2018 No. 1 player, each hit a third-round 65 to follow closely at second on 18-under-par 198.

 

Timely birdie gives Settee one-stroke lead in Thailand Mixed

Atthaya Thitikul 

“Even if it was another good round in general, I just wish I had done better in my short game and had seized more opportunities on par five holes,” said Atthaya, who has won all her three previous tournaments on the Thai LPGA.

“Everyone is good enough to win. It just depends on who has a better day. I don’t want to think too far ahead as it’s the first event of the year. I just want to check where my game is at after working hard in the off season,” added the 18-year-old girl from Ratchaburi.

Arpichaya, also 18, plans to go for her shots heading into the final round in order to put herself in a good position.

Timely birdie gives Settee one-stroke lead in Thailand Mixed Arpichaya Yubol 

“I’m quite confident with my putts now. I will try to play aggressive and have fun out there,” said Arpichaya, winner of five successive Thai LPGA crowns in 2018. She has won seven titles in her career with the latest coming in the Manila Golf Ladies Classic in April 2019.

Four shots off the lead at joint fourth were two female players -- Chanokpisut Charoenpattanasatit (65) and Onkanok Soisuwan (68) -- each with a 201.

Suteepat Prateeptienchai, with a 68, took the lone sixth position with a 14-under-par 202, two shots ahead of Budsabakorn Sukapan (66) and overnight leader Chanettee Wannsaen (74).

The four-day event is competed in a stroke-play format over 72 holes with the full 7,285-yard for the men reduced to 6,277 yards for the women.

Fans can watch a livestream of the tournament at https://www.facebook.com/trustgolfclub  and on the TrustGolf YouTube channel. T-Sports will also broadcast live coverage of the weekend rounds on television.

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