Kuala Lumpur: Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat continues to lead the way on 11-under-par as weather interruptions wrecked havoc at the Maybank Malaysian Open on Saturday.
Thunderstorms halted play for the third successive day, forcing event organisers to cut short the US$2.75 million event to 54 holes with the players due to return at 9.45am on Sunday to complete their third and final round.
“We’ve had another very large storm this afternoon, so suspended play for the day and after further discussions with our major sponsor Maybank, the tournament has been reduced to 54 holes,” said joint tournament director David Garland of the European Tour. “We want to wrap it all up with the crowd and everyone here tomorrow.”
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Just before play was abandoned, Aphibarnrat’s two-shot cushion at the top was halved when the 23-year-old former world junior champion dropped a shot on the second having birdied the opening par-four at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club.
South African star Charl Schwartzel, hunting for his ninth European Tour title, is gnawing at Aphibarnrat’s coat tails on 10-under-par with a host of players lurking a further shot behind.
They include an advancing Andres Hansen of Denmark, who shot up the leaderboard with an eagle on the third and a pair of birdies with 10 holes to play, Chinese invite Wu Ashun, Scot Peter Lawrie, Edoardo Molinari of Italy, Gregory Bourdy of France as well as Irishman Padraig Harrington, who pulled off an exquisite chip on the fourth for his second gain of the round.
With 16 holes separating him from a second Asian Tour title, Kiradech knows he holds an advantage although he expects Schwartzel to mount a big charge on Sunday.
“I’ve learned a lot from that. I’ve grown up in three years and I have learned a lot on how to play under pressure and how to play when you need to win. I think I have more experience and I hope it will help me tomorrow,” he said.
“I feel better,” said Kiradech, who has been suffering from the effects a lingering thyroid problem. “You can say I have more chance to win now that it’s 54 holes. It’s a good chance for me to win my first co-sanctioned title. I still have to do my best and it’ll be tough work tomorrow,” said the Thai, who finished fourth in last week’s Avantha Masters in India and also qualified for the British Open last month.
On the domestic front, national amateur Gavin Kyle Green continued to show that he is not out of place in the Asian and European Tours co-sanctioned field, gaining two shots through 10 holes to move up to five-under, one behind S. Murthy. Starting off the back nine, Danny Chia felt victim to a triple bogey on the 17th, dropping him to even-par for the tournament.
Third round leaderboard (holes completed)
-11: Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA) through 2 holes
-10: Charl Schwartzel (RSA) through 2 holes
-9: Anders Hansen (DEN) through 8 holes, Edoardo Molinari (ITA) through 5 holes, Padraig Harrington (IRL) through 4 holes, Victor Dubuisson through 4 holes, Gregory Bourdy (FRA) through 3 holes, Wu Ashun (CHN) through 2 holes
-8: Jeev Milkha Singh (IND) through 11 holes, Peter Lawrie (IRL) through 6 holes, Jean Gonnet (FRA) through 10 holes, Alastair Forsyth (SCO) through 8 holes, Rafa Cabrera-Bello (ESP) through 7 holes, Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)
