Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, January 11 - Singapore’s top golfer Mardan Mamat continued to dominate the US$75,000 Sabah Masters today by taking a four shot lead after the third round.
The 45-year-old carded a two-under-par 69 at Sutera Harbour Golf & Country Club to move to 11-under-par for the tournament.
Malaysian star Nicholas Fung, who hails from Kota Kinabalu, and Somkiat Srisanga from Thailand are in joint second position after also shooting 69.
Fung’s round put him on course to be crowned the ASEAN PGA Tour Order of Merit champion tomorrow, in what is the final event of the 2012-2013 season.
He comfortably leads the Merit list with Thailand’s Annop Tangkamolprasert, the only player who could overtake him by winning this week, carding a 71 to trail on level par.
Mamat has led the tournament since day one and will be favorite to prevail tomorrow although he admitted today that maintaining his focus was difficult.
He said: “I made a few mistakes on the back nine but managed to hang in there and finish even par on the back. It is hard to concentrate for four and a half hours every day. I made a few bad decisions.”
Mamat has won twice before on the ASEAN PGA Tour in the 2009 Mercedes-Benz Masters Singapore and in the following year’s Mercedes-Benz Masters Malaysia.
“The key is to not make any bad mistakes. If I can finish under par tomorrow I will be very happy. I need to keep my confidence up. It is going to be a long year and this is just the start,” added Mamat, who turned professional in 1996.
He marched to victory in the Philippine Open last year for his third triumph on the Asian circuit.
Fung, aged 22, finished joint second in the 2011 Sabah Masters, the last time the event was played, and would dearly love to win the tournament and Merit title on his home patch.
“There is plenty of support here for me this week and so I am really happy that I have been able to perform well,” said Fung.
He triumphed in the Palembang Musi Championship last year and currently leads the Merit list with earnings of US$29,933.
Filipino Antonio Lascuna carded a 71 and is five behind the leader in solo possession of fourth.
Defending champion Wisut Artjanawat from Thailand returned a 70 and is 10 back of Mamat. He is now in 10th place together with Rufino Bayron from the Philippines and Indonesia's Rory Hie, who gained 7 spots after returning a 68.
His countryman George Gandranata also a carded a 68 and moved up the ranks to 15th, 12 shots off the lead.
Leading third round scores (Par 71):
202 - Mardan Mamat (SIN) 67 66 69
206 - Nicholas Fung (MAS) 72 65 69, Somkiat Srisanga (THA) 69 68 69
207 - Antonio Lascuna (PHI) 67 69 71
209 - R Nachimuthu (MAS) 72 71 66
210 - Danny Chia (MAS) 69 73 68, S Siva Chandran (MAS) 71 68 71
211 - Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA) 73 71 67, Anthony Fernando (PHI) 72 70 69
212 - Rory Hie (INA) 71 73 68, Wisut Artjanawat (THA) 73 69 70, Rufino Bayron (PHI) 70 70 72
213 - Mohd Sukree Othman (MAS) 72 72 69, Annop Tangkamolprasert (THA) 70 72 71
214 - George Gandranata (INA) 74 72 68
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