Thailand’s Jazz Janewattanond stormed up the leaderboard with a sensational 11-under-par 60 to take a one-shot lead over Belgium’s Thomas Detry after the third round of the Asian Tour’s season-ending Thailand Masters.
After rounds of 69 and 67 at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club, Jazz finally shook off his lethargy to find himself in a familiar position atop the leaderboard again with his three-day total of 17-under-par 196.
Detry remained in outright second place for the second consecutive day after he returned with a 66 while overnight leader Phachara Khongwatmai slipped to third place with a 69.
American Sihwan Kim signed for a 66 to head into the final round in fourth place while Philippines’ Miguel Tabuena made his move by returning with a 65 to share fifth place with the Thai trio of Gunn Charoenkul, Panuphol Pittayarat and Suteepat Prateeptienchai.
Playing in his last event for the year, Jazz roared back to life just like how he did in Jakarta last weekend.
The 2019 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion started the day six shots off the pace in tied-19th place but flew under the radar very quickly when he birdied the second hole before going on a seven-hole birdie blitz starting from the par-four six.
The 24-year-old lit up his card again with another birdie on 15 before play was suspended for close to two hours due to lightning activities.
When it resumed, Jazz birdied 16 and 17 before signing off for the day with a par on 18.
Ben Leong is the leading Malaysian in T30 place on 8-under-par, followed by Gavin Green and his younger amateur brother Galven (T57 on 4-under-par), and Nicholas Fung (T72 on 2-under-par).
Leading Round 3 Scores:
196 – Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 69-67-60.
197 – Thomas Detry (BEL) 63-68-66.
199 – Phachara Khongwatmai (THA) 66-64-69.
200 – Sihwan Kim (USA) 69-65-66.
201 – Miguel Tabuena (PHI) 68-68-65, Suteepat Prateeptienchai (THA) 69-67-65, Gunn Charoenkul (THA) 65-68-68, Panuphol Pittayarat (THA) 67-66-68.
202 – Seungtaek Lee (KOR) 68-67-67, Scott Hend (AUS) 68-66-68.
203 – Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) 68-71-64, Sangchai Kaewcharoen (THA) 71-66-66, Poom Pattaropong (THA) 68-69-66, Jarin Todd (USA) 67-69-67, Haydn Porteous (RSA) 68-66-69, Joakim Lagergren (SWE) 70-70-63, Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND) 67-66-70, Wang Wei-hsuan (TPE) 66-67-70, Taewoo Kim #1468 (KOR) 68-65-70, Kosuke Hamamoto (THA) 68-64-71.
