Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert rode on a hot putter to post a seven-under-par 65 and grab a share of the third-round lead with Richard T. Lee of Canada and Chinese Taipei’s Hung Chien-yao at the US$300,000 Sarawak Championship.
Pavit, a one-time Asian Tour winner, returned with a near-perfect round highlighted by eight birdies against a bogey to match the overall efforts of Lee and Hung, who signed for rounds of 64 and 68 respectively, at Damai Golf and Country Club.
The trio snatched a one-shot advantage over Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand after they were tied at the top with matching three-day total of 18-under-par 198s in the full-field event, which is celebrating its second straight edition on the Asian Tour this week.
The round of the day goes to Thai-Japanese Kosuke Hamamoto, who fired a sizzling 10-under-par 62 to set a new course record at the Arnold Palmer-designed course.
The 20-year-old rookie made five birdies on each nine to move into a share of eighth place on 201, three behind the leading trio. His third-round 62 would also mark the lowest to-par round on the Asian Tour this season.
Jazz, who started the round with a one-shot lead, traded four birdies against two bogeys to sign for a battling 70. He is chasing for a fifth victory and a third one this season which would put him in a strong position to make the International Team for the Presidents Cup in December.
Ben Leong carded a two-under-par 70 and remains the leading Malaysian in T24 place on minus-10.
The Sarawak Championship is supported by the Sarawak State government.
