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Thai star Thongchai Jaidee on track to win Worldwide Selangor Masters

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Thai star Thongchai Jaidee stayed on track for his first title in almost two years after holding onto a slender one-shot lead from an inspired Ben Leong of Malaysia at the Worldwide Selangor Masters today.

The two-time Asian Tour number one stood at 14-under-par for the tournament after playing 14 holes of his third round in five under at Seri Selangor Golf Club before play was suspended at 7.25pm due to fading light.

The in-form Leong, chasing a third straight victory on Malaysian soil, stayed hot on the leader’s heals with a superb run where he was seven under through 15 holes, giving himself every chance of landing a first Asian Tour victory.

Malaysia’s Iain Steel, two under through 14 holes, was six shots off the pace in third position in the RM1 million (US$310,000) Asian Tour tournament.

The best clubhouse score belonged to Chinese Taipei veteran Lu Wen-teh, who carded a third round 65 for seven-under-par 206. He was amongst the 45 players who completed their rounds while the remaining 21 players will resume their third rounds on Saturday at 7.40am.

Thongchai was in complete control of his game but knows he must contend with a fired-up Leong. The Thai, bidding for his ninth Asian Tour victory, said: “I’m not looking at the leaderboard at all.

His two wins at the Malaysian Open in 2004 and 2005 were achieved during weeks which were disrupted by poor weather. Following yesterday’s tropical storm which meant that the second round was completed early this afternoon, Thongchai knows he has a battle on his hand.

A 12-foot birdie got his round going and birdies on all of the three par fives saw him keep his nose in front of Malaysia’s 22-year-old Leong. Thongchai nearly aced the 12th hole when his six iron hit the pin and stayed out.

Leong was in inspirational form once again as he turned in 33 with four birdies and a bogey before narrowing the gap on Thongchai with a burst of four birdies in five holes before play was suspended.

Leong believes his two wins in Malaysian events over the past two weeks have set him for a possible career breakthrough on the Asian Tour, which he won the Qualifying School in the past two years.

The US-based Steel, who is of Malaysian-Scottish parentage, knows he must narrow the gap when he completes the remaining four holes of his third round on Saturday morning if he is to end his title drought on the Asian Tour.

Leading third round scores
-14: Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) through 14 holes of third round
-13: Ben Leong (Mas) through 15 holes
-8: Iain Steel (Mas) through 14 holes
-7: Lu Wen-teh (Tpe) 69-72-65
-7 Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha) through 16 holes
-7 Chawalit Plaphol (Tha) through 15 holes
-7 Neven Basic (Aus) through 14 holes