Phnom Penh, Cambodia: Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat fired a brilliant second-round eight-under-par 64 to soar into gold medal contention in the individual golf tournament at the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
Three shots off the pace in joint eighth place after an opening even-par 72 at Phnom Penh’s Garden City Golf Club, the 16-year-old Thai found his range on day two with eight birdies and an eagle.
Heading into Wednesday’s final round, Ratchanon is tied for second place with Malaysian Anson Yeo on eight-under 136. They trail pace-setting Vietnamese Le Khanh Hung by two shots.
Khanh, the joint first-round leader, had the distinction of snaring eagles at two of the par-fives as he improved on his day one 69 by four strokes.
While Ratchanon is 27th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), Khanh began the week in 533rd position. But his recent form has been good with a joint third-place finish in the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final in March.
Yeo, who matched Ratchanon’s 64 today, is 269th in the WAGR. His fellow-Malaysian Malcolm Ting, 216th in the WAGR, is alone in fourth place on 137 with Thai Jiradech Chaowarat and Vietnam’s Nguyen Anh Minh a further two shots adrift in equal fifth.
A thrilling finish is also in store in the women’s individual event.
In pole position is Thailand’s Eila Galitsky. Winner of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in March, the big-hitting 16-year-old signed for a second round 66.
With a 36-hole total of nine-under 135 she takes a one-shot lead over Malaysian Ng Jing Xuen (69) into the final round.
Singaporean Aloysa Atienza, silver medallist at the 31st SEA Games, fired a 68 and has sole possession of third place on 139 followed by Malaysian Foong Zi Yu on 141.
Rianne Malixi of the Philippines, at 96 in the WAGR the highest placed female in the field, had a bogey-free 68 that leaves her in a share of fifth place on 142.
Featuring individuals and teams from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, golfing medals are on offer in four categories – men’s individual, men’s team, women’s individual and women’s team.
