Koh Samui: Thailand’s veteran star Thaworn Wiratchant hit a glorious back-nine 28 en route to an eight-under-par 63 to snatch the halfway lead at the Queen’s Cup yesterday.
The 50-year-old Thaworn, who holds the most Asian Tour wins with 18 titles, was in mesmerising form at Santiburi Samui Country Club, a venue which saw him triumph in the 2012 and 2014 Queen’s Cup and 2008 Bangkok Airways Open.
After turning in one under with two birdies and one bogey, the double Asian Tour No.1 rolled in seven birdies, including four-in-a-row from the 10th hole to equal his best round at Samui and lead by one from playing partner Nicholas Fung of Malaysia.
“It was by accident, I was lucky!,” said Thaworn. “Some of the greens are quite fast but some are funny. I thought I would make the birdie putt on 17 but when it went near the hole, it just stayed out. This score is beyond my imagination.
“The last time I shot a 28 was when I won the Malaysian PGA Championship a long time ago. I’ve not shot a 28 before on the Asian Tour.”
Nicolas Fung is one shot off the lead.
Thaworn is the ninth player to shoot a seven-under-par 28 on the Asian Tour. Four players have shot eight-under-par 28 which is the lowest nine hole score in relation to par.
Fung, who is chasing a maiden Asian Tour title, carded a 68 while six players — India’s SSP Chawrasia (68) and Rashid Khan (70), Filipino Angelo Que (70) and Juvic Pagunsan (67), Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng (70) and Pasavee Lertvilai (66) — are two off the pace in the US$500,000 tournament.
“It was windy on the front nine and I just tried to keep the ball in play all the time and make some putts. It worked OK,” said Fung.
“I was playing with Thaworn and I was just trying to learn from him and tried to put my ball near his ball so that I could read his lines. It’s amazing, I couldn’t believe he shot 28 on the back nine.
“Rahil Gangjee and I were just watching him hole all his putts on the back nine. I was one over on the front nine and shot four under on the back nine. I was just trying to keep up with the legend. I don’t want to think too much now that I’m in contention. I just want to play good golf and not think about winning,” he added.
Straight-shooting Chawrasia could have ended the second round one shot closer to the lead had he not signed for a higher score on his last hole, which he birdied but signed for a par.
Rookie Chanat Sakulpolphaisan, who shared the first round lead, slipped to joint 19th on three-under 139 following a three-over 74.