2007 Omega Mission Hills World Cup - Round 3: Sizzling 63 leaves Thailand six behind

Thai stars Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng will switch tactics for Sunday’s foursomes in a last push for glory in the Omega Mission Hills World Cup.

The Thais forced their way back into the reckoning with a brilliant nine-under-par 63 in the third round’s fourball at Mission Hills Golf Club on Saturday and will enter the last day six shots behind leaders Boo Weekley and Heath Slocum of the United States.

Thongchai, a two-time Asian Tour number one, said they will change the teeing order after Friday’s disastrous foursomes round of 76 and also use Prayad’s preferred choice of golf ball in their hopes of turning their fortunes around.

"We will change the teeing order tomorrow. Prayad will now drive on the first hole (odd number holes) and I think it’ll be better for the team. Tomorrow we’ll aim to hit fairways and greens. I believe the pin will be tough so we have to play well," said Thongchai, whose team is tied 10th on 14-under-par 202.

"Our plan yesterday went wrong. On some holes, Prayad didn’t like them, especially the second hole par three. I don’t mind any of the holes and it’s important to feel comfortable as if you miss the par threes, the greens are quite tough."

Thongchai contributed one eagle and two birdies in today’s better ball format while Prayad knocked in five birdies as they climbed nine rungs up from their overnight to tied 19th place.

"We needed to make a score today which we did," said Prayad. "We were both relaxed and played well without any pressure. Now, we’ll have to wait for tomorrow. We’ll have to make a good plan.

"I will feel more comfortable using my own golf ball tomorrow as I couldn’t get used to Thongchai’s ball on Friday. In the foursomes, we were too serious and we knew something was wrong. In alternate shot, it looked as though they were two different players playing out there for Thailand. We have to make it look as though it’s just one player playing."

Thongchai was still confident of challenging for the Omega Mission Hills World Cup despite trailing by six. "We would like to finish well and show to our Thai fans around the world that we can play good," he said.

The home pairing of Zhang Lian-wei and Liang Wen-chong, the current Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit leader, failed to make an expected charge after combining for a 67 and a 203 total , seven off the lead in a share of 15th place in the 28-nation competition.

"We hit some good shots and also a few bad shots, but overall, I'm pleased," said Zhang, regarded as the player who revolutionised professional golf in China with his exploits on the Asian Tour, where he is a five-time winner.

"Right now, we are several shots behind the leaders, but anything can happen on the last day in the foursomes. If we can make a birdie and the leaders get a bogey on one hole, that's a two-shot swing, and in three holes, you can make up six strokes fairly easy."

Asked by the local media why the pair have not worn matching strips all week, Zhang replied: "Tomorrow we will try to match up and be colour coordinated - red top, black pants, black shoes and white cap and hopefully that will be more like the team colours for the final round, China colours."

India’s Gaurav Ghei and Jyoti Randhawa carded a 65 for 19th place on 205 and are determined to end with a flourish on Sunday. Ghei has been a pale shadow of himself and has relied on Randhawa’s aggressive play to post the numbers.

"Jyoti had a great day, he played really well. I gave him just one birdie. I’m not happy with how I’m playing. I need to sort something out before tomorrow. Jyoti put us in a good position with six birdies," said Ghei.

"I’m not playing at my best and it puts pressure on the team. I just have to go out and make a few better shots and a few better putts. I’m not hitting it well, not putting well. I can’t figure it out. It’s been a long year and I’m just not in the best physical shape right now. My neck has been bothering me and it’s coming at the wrong week.

"We both want to finish strong. In the World Cup, you are either contending or it doesn’t matter where you finish. We’ll try to go out there and shoot a good final round."

Korean duo Lee Sung and Lee Seung-ho combined for a 69 to be amongst those in a share of 15th position while Gerald Rosales and Tony Lascuna of the Philippines shot a 68 and are in joint 23rd place.

Third round scores (click here for leaderboard):

196: USA (Boo Weekley/Heath Slocum) 61-69-66
197: France (Raphael Jacquelin/Gregory Havret) 64-71-62, Scotland (Colin Montgomerie/Marc Warren) 63-68-66
198: South Africa (Retief Goosen/Trevor Immelman) 63-69-66, England (Justin Rose/Ian Poulter) 63-68-67
199: Argentina (Andres Romero/Ricardo Gonzales) 65-70-64, Holland (Robert-Jan Derksen/Maarten Lafeber) 65-69-65, Germany (Martin Kaymer/Alex Cejka) 62-71-66
201: Denmark (Anders Hansen/Soren Hansen) 65-68-68
202: Thailand (Thongchai Jaidee/Prayad Marksaeng) 63-76-63, Canada (Mike Weir/Wes Heffernan) 66-72-64, Finland (Mikko Ilonen/Pasi Purhonen) 63-74-65, Sweden (Robert Karlsson/Peter Hanson) 66-70-66, Italy (Edoardo Molinari/Francesco Molinari) 65-68-69
203: Ireland (Michael Hoey/Gareth Maybin) 66-72-65, Spain (Miguel Angel Jimenez/Jose Manuel Lara) 67-71-65, China (Liang Wen-chong/Zhang Lian-wei) 65-71-67, Korea (Lee Sung/Lee Seung-ho) 65-69-69
205: India (Jyoti Randhawa/Gaurav Ghei) 65-75-65
206: Wales (Bradley Dredge/Stephen Dodd) 63-76-67, Paraguay (Carlos Franco/Fabrizio Zanotti) 66-73-67, Australia (Nick O’Hern/Nathan Green) 66-72-68
208: Philippines (Gerald Rosales/Tony Lascuna) 67-73-68, Austria (Markus Brier/Claude Grenier) 64-75-69
209: Japan (Hideto Tanihara/Tetsuji Hiratsuka) 67-73-69
212: Puerto Rico (Miguel Suarez/Wilfredo Morales) 68-73-71
214: New Zealand (Stephen Scahill/Richard Lee) 67-77-70
215: Colombia (Jorge Benedetti/Gustavo Mendoza) 68-79-68

Note: The first and third rounds will use the fourball (better ball) format while the second and final rounds will use the foursomes (alternate shot) format.

November 24, 2007

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