ASEAN Golf Tour International Championship: Dumandan surges seven ahead at ASEAN opener

Marvin Dumandan’s patient approach paid dividends in the International Championship presented by Telkomsel today when he opened up a seven stroke lead.

The young Filipino fired a one-under-par 71 at Imperial Klub Golf near Jakarta for a three-round aggregate of two-under-par 214.

Denny Supriadi from Indonesia and Malaysia’s Danny Chia finished the day in joint second in the inaugural US$50,000 tournament - that is the first event on the newly launched ASEAN Golf Tour

Former amateur star Supriadi fired the best round of the week so far a 66 to make a huge lead up the leader board following his opening rounds of 75 and 80. Chia, one of the pre-tournament favourites, shot a 76.

Dumandan, who started day sharing the lead with Malaysian Mohd Shaaban Hussein, only turned professional this year but played with maturity.

“I played very patiently. It is a difficult golf course so I didn’t always play my driver off the tee and I putted beautifully,” said Dumandan.

He nailed four birdies, including one on the par-five 18th, and carded three bogeys.

His inexperience showed a little at the start of the round when he realized he was being filmed by a television cameraman and got nervous. He promptly hit a terrible shot and bogeyed the hole.

“The cameraman didn’t do anything wrong, I am just not used to it,” added Dumandan.

The 27 year old from Davao is coached by his compatriot and cousin Anthony Lascuna - who finished joint second and equal third in the past two Asian Tour events.

Supriadi, stormed round the course registering an eagle, six birdies and two bogeys.

The Indonesian, who following a great amateur career has been unable to find his feet in the paid ranks partly because of lack of playing opportunities, eagled the 18th which helped make up for bogeys on 13 and 14.

Veteran Singaporean Poh Eng Wah, aged 45, and Hussein are eight shots off the lead after returning rounds of 75 and 79 respectively.

Leading Third Round Scores (par 72):

214 – Marvin Dumandan (PHI) 70-73-71
221 – Denny Supriadi (INA) 75-80-66, Danny Chia (MAS) 71-74-76
222 – Poh Eng Wah (SIN) 76-71-75, Mohd Shaaban Hussein (MAS) 74-69-79
223 – Anis Helmi Hassan (INA) 73-80-70, Dana Mahmud (INA) 77-73-73, Suparto (INA) (a) 78-70-75
224 – S. Murthy (MAS) 77-76-71, Vuttipong Puangkeaw (THA) 73-78-73, Sarmilih (INA) 75-75-74, Angelo Que (PHI) 76-72-76, Pijit Petchkasem (THA) 73-73-78

Selected:

226 – Carito Villaroman (PHI) 72-76-78
227 – Ilyasak (INA) 73-82-72, S. Sivachandran (MAS) 71-79-77
229 – Lam Chih Bing (SIN) 77-77-75

September 6, 2007