Singapore pull ahead at World Cup qualifier

Singapore’s Mardan Mamat and Lam Chih Bing pulled away from the chasing pack in the World Cup Qualifier after firing a third round of eight-under-par 63 in the fourball better ball format on Friday.

Mardan, who qualified for the World Cup twice before with his partner Lam, remained formidable in the third round thanks to solid putting that included an eagle at the par five 13th hole at the Seri Selangor Golf Club.

The dynamic duo achieved a three-day total of 12-under-par 201 while India’s Shiv Kapur, who is ranked sixth on the Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit, and partner Gaurav Ghei fired a 66 and trailed the leaders by three strokes in lone second spot. Local talent Danny Chia and Iain Steel were in third place as they kept their hopes alive after an equally impressive 63.

The top-two teams after four rounds will qualify for the World Golf Championships-World Cup in Barbados in December.

The inseparable leaders were in support of each other exchanging birdies on the front nine. Lam got off to a good start when he struck a birdie on the second hole followed by a similar feat by Mardan on the third and fifth holes. Lam extended their lead with a birdie on the sixth hole while Mardan’s solid tee shot resulted in another birdie at the eighth hole. After Lam’s birdie on the 10th hole, Mardan blasted an eagle on the par-five 544 yards 13th hole.

“We are not in a safe position and are not going to sit back. We are going to focus and continue our good game,” said Mardan, who finished joint 12th at the Barclays Singapore Open.

“After my drive on the 13th hole, the second shot was 236 yards from the pin. I decided to use a seven wood off the green and chipped in from there around 32 yards out for the eagle,” he said.

They were then heading home strongly when Mardan sunk in another birdie on the 17th hole but they eventually stumbled as Lam dropped a shot on the final hole.

“We combined well today and we bogeyed the last which was a tough hole. I made a few birdies myself but there is still a lot of work for tomorrow,” said Lam.

“Basically I told my partner to play safe and let us make some birdies but he shot an eagle so it was good.

“Especially when it comes to fourball, we can afford to be aggressive because Mardan is very dependable,” he said.

The Indian duo shot six birdies against a lone bogey as they hope to lift their game for the final hurdle on Saturday.

“There are a few holes like the par fives where you want to take advantage and make your birdies, but other than that, we are in a good position,” said Ghei.

“I am pleasantly surprised that we are only three shots back and hopefully Kapur will come out tomorrow will all guns blazing and I hope to keep up my run on the back nine and put up a challenge for the top spot.

“We did not play well today, that is why I am surprised. Mardan and Lam played really well so we’re quite lucky to have a chance in the final round,” he said.

Chia is on a roll as he fired six birdies against a lone bogey and was strongly supported by Steel who carded three birdies.

“Today was good as we started off well. We got on to a good start on the front nine as we birdied both the par fives as planned,” said Steel.

“We were six-under on the front nine and tried to get the same score on the back nine. We were solid on the back nine and did not put ourselves into trouble until the last two holes,” he said.

Steel parred the 17th hole as Chia bogeyed the final hole.

Italian talent Emanuele Canonica and Francesco Molinari were in fourth spot as they shot a 64 six strokes off the pace while Philippine duo of Juvic Pagunsan and Gerald Rosales slipped on the third day after a 70 in joint fifth spot alongside Finland’s Mikko Maneros and Juha Pekka Peltomaki with a 67.

The final round will use the foursomes (alternate) shot format.

Third round scores (fourball)
201: Singapore (Mardan Mamat/Lam Chih Bing) 65-73-63
204: India (Shiv Kapur/Gaurav Ghei) 68-70-66
206: Malaysia (Danny Chia/Iain Steel) 65-78-63
207: Italy (Emanuele Canonica/Francesco Molinari) 68-75-64
208: Philippines (Gerald Rosales/Juvic Pagunsan) 64-74-70
: Finland (Mikko Maneros/Juha Pekka Peltomaki) 69-72-67
209: Switzerland (Martin Rominger/Nicolas Sulzes) 70-74-65
211: Hong Kong (James Stewart/David Freeman) 63-78-70
Holland (Ruben Wechgelaer/John Bleys) 73-73-65
213: Chinese Taipei (Lu Wei-lan/Lu Wei-chih) 70-75-68
216: Pakistan (Muhammed Munir/Imdad Hussain) 69-78-69
219: Myanmar (Zaw Moe/Soe Kyaw Naing) 72-78-69
220: Ghana (Emos Korblah/Victo Brave Mensah) 69-79-72
238: Mauritius (Billy Narraina/Vishnoo Seeneevassen) 75-85-78

September 15, 2006

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