Port Dickson [NEGERI SEMBILAN]: Kenneth De Silva of Malaysia kept his nose in front at the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) ASEAN PGA PD Championship on Friday, despite shooting a shaky one-under-par 70 in the third round.
The 23-year-old leads by a shot from experienced campaigner Mohd Sukree Othman of Malaysia and Thailand’s Ratchapol Jantavara, who is looking for his first top-10 finish of the season on the ASEAN PGA Tour.
Unheralded Thai Natthapong Niyomchon shot up the leaderboard into joint fourth place – two shots off the pace – with a best of the day 65. He is tied with countrymen Tanatchan Puaktes (69) and Pipatpong Naewsuk, the first round pacesetter who fell back with a level-par 71.
De Silva, who came to prominence with victory in the PGM Sarawak Masters in 2012, slipped out of the lead when playing partner Pipatpong birdied the opening two holes at Port Dickson Golf and Country Club.
But the erratic Pipatpong could not hold onto the advantage with three bogeys against two birdies in five holes and was one behind De Silva, who carded two birdies and a bogey in the outward nine, at the turn.
Pipatpong, currently fifth on the 2014 Road to Sabah Masters rankings, was steadier on the back nine with eight pars and a bogey for a 71 but found himself two adrift after De Silva cancelled out two birdies with two bogeys for a total of seven-under 206.
Othman, who shared the lead going into the PGM-ASEAN PGA Melaka Championship in March before slipping down the leaderboard with a final-round 76, mixed four birdies and two bogeys to stay in touch with De Silva.
Two birdies in the closing four holes helped Ratchapol to a one-under 70 as he stayed on course for his best finish of the year.
Leading third round scores (Malaysian unless stated):
206 – Kenneth De Silva 68-68-70
207 – Mohd Sukree Othman 69-69-69, Ratchapol Jantavara (THA) 68-69-70
208 – Natthapong Niyomchon (THA) 70-73-65, Tanatchan Puaktes (THA) 72-67-69, Pipatpong Naewsuk (THA) 64-73-71
209 – Kurnia Herishandy (INA) 71-69-69, Wilson Choo Zhe Ming 69-69-71, Lim Eng Seng 69-68-72
210 – Mohd Azman Basharudin 69-71-70, Varan Israbhakdi (THA) 70-70-70
