Khon Kaen, Thailand, August 17 - Thailand’s Gunn Charoenkul fired a brilliant back nine of six-under-par 30 to keep the lead after round two of the Singha E-San Open on Friday.
His five-under-par 67 at Singha Park Golf Club gave him a two stroke lead over Indonesia’s top golfer Rory Hie, who carded a 66.
Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung shot a 67 and is a stroke further back, in the third event of the year on the ASEAN PGA Tour.
Gunn is in his second year as a professional and after two impressive rounds he is starting to make a name for himself. He began the day with a two shot lead and is now 13 under for the tournament despite a poor one over par front nine.
Said Gunn: “I didn’t start well today, I had a bogey on the par five third which is like giving up two shots. I steadied things and played a good shot into eight which was the first shot I hit all day. That told me I still had it and then the back nine was really good.”
The young man from Pattaya manages his golf schedule while also studying marketing at University in Thailand.
He eagled the 11th and made four birdies on the homeward stretch.
“I hit a perfect three wood into 11 which went past the hole and I could see it roll back down the hill so it was pretty much a tap in, that really helped. As I said yesterday I’ve been very motivated this week. I really want to win the tournament, that’s my goal. Last week (in the Thailand Open) I missed my first cut this year because I had a fever but now I’m better and I really think I can win.”
Gunn recorded his best finish on the ASEAN PGA Tour last year when he ended equal ninth in the Ancora Classic in Indonesia.
In hot pursuit are two more seasoned campaigners, although like Gunn still in the infancy of their professional careers.
Both Hie and Fung have tasted victory once before on the ASEAN PGA Tour and have come close to winning many times.
Hie carded a bogey free round and birdied the par-five 18th.
“It was a good way to finish. I hit a great putt for birdie having got a good read from Namchok who had similar putt so I am happy to be at 11 under,” said Hie.
Hie claimed the 2008 International Championship on the ASEAN PGA Tour just months after turning professional. Last year he burst through at the top level by finishing second in both the Indonesia Open presented by Enjoy Jakarta and the Indonesia PGA Championship, both on OneAsia.
Hie added: “My game has been very solid for two days so it’s great to be finding some good form again. The course is playing very soft after all the rain. There’s no run on the fairways but the greens are holding. I played here two years ago and it was completely different with the wind from the opposite direction and it was much drier. I’ve put myself in a good position so will have to see what happens at the weekend.”
Fung also signed for a bogey free scorecard and is also looking for his second win on Tour after his success in the 2010 Mercedes-Benz Masters Vietnam, which was a Matchplay event.
Thailand’s leading golfers have some ground to make up over the weekend.
Wisut Artjanawat, joint third in last week’s Thailand Open on OneAsia, came in with a 68 and is six behind Gunn.
Defending champion Udorn Duangdecha and Prom Meesawat both returned 71 and are 10 adrift.
Thaworn Wiratchant, winner of the season-opening Luang Prabang Laos Open, carded a 72 and is two under for the championship which boasts prize money of US$65,000.
The cut was made at even par.
Second round scores (Par 72, Thai unless stated):
131 - Gunn Charoenkul 64 67
133 - Rory Hie (INA) 67 66
134 - Nicholas Fung (MAS) 67 67
136 - Rattanon Wannasrichan 69 67
137 - Atthaphon Sriboonkaew 69 68, Wisut Artjanawat 69 68, Pijit Petchkasem 66 71
138 - Varut Chomchalam 70 68, Thitiphun Chuayprakong 72 66, Piya Swangarunporn 68 70, Michael Tran (VNM) 68 70
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