KUCHING: Sabah’s Ben Leong was philosophical about his second round score of even par 72 at the US$300,000 Sarawak Championship which has left him trailing the leaders of the Asian Tour by seven strokes. Leong had shared the first day’s recordbreaking lead eight-under-par 64 with two others — ChineseTaipei’s Hung Chien-yao and Justin Quiban of the Philippines on the first day — but found the pace “too hot” yesterday.
On a wind-blown hazy day two others — Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines who was playing in the same flight as Jazz and Australian Andrew Dodt, caught with the leaders with scores of 65 and 64 respectively. Ben struggled to keep up with the four leaders despite suffering a stomach ailment while Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Jazz Janewattananond shot a seven-under 65 and two-day total of 15-under topped the chart by a stroke.
Jazz’s second day score of eight-under par 64 effort put himself in prime position for a fifth Asian Tour win after posting a solid giving him a one-shot advantage at the halfway stage. The 23-year-old Jazz, who has already won twice this season, sparkled with a flawless round of eight birdies with a two round total of 129 Dodt, a two-time Asian Tour winner, got off to a sizzling start with an eagle on the 10th hole followed by four successive birdies from 11 before turning in 30. The 33-year-old Australian is playing in his first event since suffering a two month injury layoff in April. Thai trio Pavit Tangkamolprasert,
Danthai Boonma and Sadom Kaewkanjana shared fifth place on matching 133s following respective rounds of 65, 66 and 67 at the full-field event, which is celebrating its second edition on the Asian Tour this week.
Hung said: “I felt really relaxed out there, just like yesterday. I told myself to try and play my best for every hole and every shot. I got off to a good start with three straight birdies, but I was more like watching my playing partner. “I wasn’t trying to chase him or anything. It was nice to watch and we just had fun out there. I left two good birdies chances out there today but overall, it was still a good round.
Everyone is playing well on this course. You never know what will happen over the next two days so I just have to try my best. Fourteenunder is the lowest 36-hole score in my career.” Miguel Tabuena said: “I’m striking the ball well. I left about three or four putts out there but I am still happy with the way I played. It’s a good position to be going into the last two rounds.” “It’s actually a pretty wide open and straight forward course you know, it’s a place where you can make a lot of birdies but if you make a bogey you will lose your position quite a bit, so you have to know when to attack and when to take your medicine.”
The halfway cut was set at fourunder-par 140 with a total of 72 players progressing into the weekend rounds. The Sarawak Championship is supported by the Sarawak State government. It is also the Tour’s second stop in Malaysia this season.
Second-day scores:
129 — Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 65-64. 130 – Hung Chien-yao (TPE) 64-66, Andrew Dodt (AUS) 66-64,
Miguel Tabuena (PHI) 65-65. 133 — Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA) 68-65, Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA) 66-67,
Danthai Boonma (THA) 67-66. 134 – Nicholas Latimer (USA) 66-68, Scott Vincent (ZIM) 6866,
Richard T. Lee (CAN) 66-68, Micah Lauren Shin (USA) 69-65, Lloyd Jefferson Go (PHI) 69-65,
Mardan Mamat (SIN) 68-66, Terry Pilkadaris (AUS) 66-68,
Trevor Simsby (USA) 66-68. 135 — Tomoharu Otsuki (JPN) 6768,
Josh Salah (USA) 68-67,
Tirawat Kaewsiribandit (THA) 69-66,
Prom Meesawat (THA) 68-67, Jesse Yap (SIN) 67-68,
Itthipat Buranatanyarat (THA) 68-67,
Justin Quiban (PHI) 64-71,
Danny Masrin (INA) 67-68. 136 — Jack Harrison (ENG) 67-69,
Daisuke Kataoka (JPN) 65-71,
Ben Leong (MAS) 64-72,
Rashid Khan (IND) 68-68. 137 — Liu Yanwei (CHN) 67-70,
Travis Smyth (AUS) 71-66, Kerry Sweeney (USA) 68-69,
Udayan Mane (IND) 68-69,
Adam Blyth (AUS) 70-67,
Aman Raj (IND) 68-69,
Naras Luangphetcharaporn (THA) 66-71,
Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND) 67-70,
S. Chikkarangappa (IND) 69-68,
Teemu Putkonen (FIN) 68-69,
Kemarol Baharin (MAS) 67-70, K.P. Lin (TPE) 67-70.
