Chiang Mai: Thailand's former SEA Games gold medallist Rattanon Wannasrichan yesterday underlined his potential with a bogey-free 63 to snatch the halfway lead at the Singha Chiangmai Open.
The 19-year-old Rattanon has a two-round total of 12-under-par 130 and sits a shot clear of first-round leader Ye Htet Aung of Myanmar, the amateur adding a steady 69 to his opening 62 in the Asean PGA Tour event.
Aung, a team silver medallist at last year’s SEA Games, joined Rattanon at the top of the leaderboard with a birdie at the 16th hole but gave the shot back at the next before shooting a par at the 18th.
“Yesterday I was striking it well and I putted really well, really had to make nothing more than about fifteen feet,” said Aung. “It was harder today, it's always hard to follow a low round with another one so I'm pleased with the way I held it together."
Unheralded Prasertsak Pongsawaleesri of Thailand stormed up the leaderboard with a sizzling 63 that featured an ace at the 170-yard second hole, an eagle at the par-five sixth and three birdies on the trot from the 10th.
His only blemish came at the last, where he took bogey to fall a shot behind Chapchai Nirat, who is in third place on 10-under 132 after a 67.
"[That’s the] best round of golf I've ever had. I'm from Chiang Mai but I don't play here (at this course) very much,” said Prasertsak. “The hole in one was great — [I hit] a seven-iron and it landed about a club length from the hole and was always going in.”
Rattanon, who won individual and team golds at the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia, started on the 10th and shot three birdies on the tougher nine at the par-71 Mae Jo Golf Resort & Spa.