On tough and sapping day, Gavin Green hangs in to stay in front

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Gavin Green - TheGolfingHub
Gavin Greens is chasing his second Asian Tour title after 2017. Photo: Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour

Malaysian Gavin Green maintained his lead in the US$1.5 million International Series Singapore today at Tanah Merah Country Club but was joined by Phachara Khongwatmai from Thailand.

Green, the Asian Tour number one in 2017 and the leader after the first two days following a pair of stunning seven-under-par 65s, returned 72 to stay at 14 under, while Phachara shot 69 – in the third International Series event this season.

Related: Gavin Green’s reformation on in Singapore

Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang and Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong are a shot behind following rounds of 66 and 68 respectively; while England’s Steve Lewton came in with a 69 to sit a stroke further back.

 

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Play was stopped at 11.10am and resumed at 1.30pm because of inclement weather.

“It was a grinding day, it was such a grind, I couldn’t get anything going,” said Green, whose birdie on eight was offset by a dropped shot on 13 – a stark contrast to his 14 birdies and no bogeys on Thursday and Friday.

“Nevertheless, I just hung in there as hard as I could, making pars from everywhere, sometimes you just got to do that.

 

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“Golf is not a game you can be perfect all the time, my caddie kept saying, ‘stay in it, stay patient, keep trying and hit good shots,’ and you know what we made a lot of saves today, it was kind of a saving day. We are still in it, 18 more holes, I think it’s going to be fun.”

Both Green and Phachara are chasing their second wins on the Asian Tour, with Green having won the Mercuries Taiwan Masters in 2017, and the latter the 2021 Laguna Phuket Championship.

Said Phachara: “Today everything wasn’t bad, only one thing was my putting. Because I hit it pretty well, same as in the first and second rounds, but missed a lot of putts. I hope tomorrow the putting is going to work.

“The greens were a little bit slower today I think, all my distance was gone. My reads were great, but only the distance wasn’t good.”

Chan looked set to finish the day sharing the lead but dropped a shot on 18.

“I knew I was tied for lead after the birdie on 17,” said Chan.

“I was just telling myself not to hit it left on 18. I was trying to make birdie there but didn’t hit a good shot from the bunker. Disappointed with the bogey on last but it’s ok, I’m still happy with my overall performance today. I am glad to give myself a good chance tomorrow. It’s great to be in contention, especially in a big event like the International Series.”

Chan will no doubt be a threat tomorrow having won four times on Tour, including the Blue Canyon Championship last November and the Royal’s Cup in four months later.

Nitithorn achieved the rare feat of making two eagles on par fours on the front, on three and nine.

 

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“I know it’s unbelievable,” said the Thai, winner of The DGC Open in India in March.

“I didn’t expect that it’s going to be in the hole on the third, it’s a blind shot you know. I didn’t see anything, but I just knew that I hit a good shot from 168 yards. And I walked to the green and it’s in. So yeah, happy with that result. On hole nine I had 63 yards, it’s in that gap you know, I don’t really hit that distance well, but I hit it and it went in.”

 

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He made the turn in five-under-par 31 but could not maintain the momentum and toured the second nine in one over.