Georgetown (PENANG): Jhonnel Ababa of the Philippines stormed to the top of the leaderboard after the third round of the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) ASEAN PGA Penang Championship on Friday.

Ababa carded a brilliant seven-under 65 to climb to 15-under 201 at Penang Golf Club, leaving him with a well-deserved three-stroke lead over Thailand’s Atthaphon Sriboonkaew (69) with another Thai, Ratchapol Jantavara (68) a further four strokes adrift in third.

Piya Swangarunporn (69) also of Thailand was fourth on 206 while his compatriot Thammanoon Sriroj (68) tied with Singapore’s Choo Tze Huang (69) on nine-under 207 in the RM170,000 tournament.

Khor Kheng Hwai (71) was the best-placed Malaysian on seven-under 209, alongside Thailand’s Somkiat Srisa-Nga (68) and Nakarintra Ratanakul (74) in joint eighth.

Happy with his showing today, the 30-year-old Ababa said he played confidently and hoped to do the same tomorrow when it really mattered.

“I hit my irons very well today and I putted good too. I felt relaxed throughout and maybe that’s why I turned in such a good score,” he added.

“Tomorrow will be the important day and hopefully I can go out there and just have some fun and play my game the way I know I can,” he added.

Leading third round scores (Malaysian unless stated)
201 – Jhonnel Ababa (PHI) 68-68-65
204 – Atthaphon Sriboonkaew (THA) 68-6- 69
205 – Ratchapol Jantavara (THA) 68-69-68
206 – Piya Swangarunporn (THA) 67-70-69
207 – Thammanoon Sriroj (THA) 72-67-68, Choo Tze Huang (SIN) 72-66-69
208 – Pravee Visalkit (THA) 65-73-70
209 – Somkiat Srisa-Nga (THA) 67-74-68, Khor Kheng Hwai 71-67-71, Nakarintra Ratanakul (THA) 65-70-74