Mardan Mamat takes narrow advantage - Singapore Masters 2006

Singapore 's Mardan Mamat pulled one stroke clear at the halfway stage of the US$1 million OSIM Singapore Masters on Friday after a late trip by Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand .

Mamat , the co-overnight leader, rebounded from two early bogeys to shoot a two-under-par 70 at Laguna National Golf and Country Club and remained on course to become the first home winner in the six-year history of the Singapore Masters.

The local hero heads the US$1 million event, jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour, on nine-under-par 135, but only after Prayad suffered a calamitous finish for a 69 to drop to tied second place with Australian Marcus Both.

The smooth-swinging Thai, currently 10th on the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit, charged to the top with six birdies in his o pen ing eight holes but with three holes to play where he was five-under for the round, Prayad bogeyed the 16th and then ran up a disastrous triple bogey six at the notorious par three 202-yard 17th hole .

Australian Wade Ormsby ended the day in fourth, three off the lead, after a 71 while the treacherous 17th also troubled title holder Nick Dougherty of England , who ran up a double bogey en route to a 70 for equal fifth place on 139.

"After being one over on front nine and then finishing on two under, you will definitely take that score," said a delighted Mamat , bidding to become the first Singaporean winner on the European Tour.

Poor drives saw him drop bogeys on the par five second and seventh holes before he fought back gallantly with birdies on the eighth, 10th, 14th and 18th holes. If 13 is an unlucky number to some, it proved otherwise for Mamat . He leaked a drive to the right and his ball ricocheted against some wooden steps before landing in a bunker, and away from a watery grave.

"To bogey the par fives is a nightmare for us. After that, I managed to get back some birdies. It was a good comeback. 13 was lucky as I didn't realise the wind was left to right. The wind caught my tee shot and I was lucky as it could have gone into the water instead of ending up in the bunker," said Mamat .

While the weight of the nation will rest squarely on his shoulders, Mamat is hoping to draw on his experience of 2004 where he contended for the Singapore Masters before finishing tied eighth. He was also the halfway leader then.

"I've been in this situation before. I shot 67, 68 and 70 and was two over for the last day. It was quite close. That inspired me and I kept those good memories from there as in my next event, I won the Indian O pen . I like to keep the good memories in my head," said the 38-year-old Mamat .

Prayad was as hot as the weather early in his round as he hit a birdie binge on his front nine. But it went horribly wrong after a bogey on 16 when he missed the green. On 17, his club slipped from his hands and after three more putts, he staggered off with a six which dropped him off the lead.

"I'm a little disappointed," said Prayad , a five-time winner in Asia . ""My palms were sweating and when I hit the tee shot, I knew it was headed into the water. I was happy though to birdie the last hole after that difficult 17th," said Prayad . "I'm playing well enough to challenge."

Both has missed the cut in his last four tournaments but reproduced the form that helped him to his best season on the Asian Tour last year when he finished ninth on the Order of Merit. "I played nicely again today. There's nothing different at all from when I was missing cuts. The game feels the same but I'm just scoring a bit better. That's been the real difference although I've holed a few more putts. Obviously, I'm going to be playing in the weekend which is nice," said Both , who eagled the par five 11th hole.

Dougherty, who won last year's title after a memorable duel against Colin Montgomerie and Thomas Bjorn, was disappointed with his dismal finish. "It was crap to be honest. I was looking to finish on eight or nine under. I couldn't get a putt to drop and I hit a bad shot on 17 and had a horrendous lie and made double. There's a bit to do to catch the leaders but I still believe I can do it," said the young Englishman.

Singapore-based Unho Park of Australia , Canadian Ahmad Bateman , Sweden 's Peter Hanson and England 's Ross Fisher share fifth place on 139 with last week's winner Simon Dyson of Indonesia and Thai veteran Boonchu Ruangkit amongst those a further stroke back. Australian Marcus Fraser, who led with Mamat , stumbled to tied 17th place after a 76.

The halfway cut was set at 145 with the pre-tournament favourites Niclas Fasth of Sweden , the highest ranked player in the field this week at 57th, and Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand making early exits.