MELBOURNE: Tawan Phongphun's dream of winning a Masters berth ended yesterday after he soared to a seven-over-par 79 in the third round of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.
Tawan Phongphun.
The Udon Thani player, who was three shots off the pace at halfway, made three birdies, eight bogeys and a double bogey at Royal Melbourne Golf Club.
He dropped to 20th on 219, 15 strokes behind leader Antonio Murdaca of Australia who extended his lead to eight shots.
Murdaca shot a 67 for 204 with the winner receiving an invitation to the 2015 Masters at Augusta National.
Asian Games gold medallist Pan Cheng-tsung of Taiwan hit a 71 to share second place on 212 with China's Jin Cheng (72) and Todd Sinnott of Australia (74).
"My game is feeling quite solid at the moment," said Murdaca.
The 19-year-old added that he had worked hard with his coach over the past few months particularly on putting.
Tawan, 20, got off to a fast start with birdies at the second and third holes but he soon was in trouble.
He said putting cost him dearly as he put too much pressure on himself.
"I always want to make up for dropped shots and that affected my game today,'' he said.
US-based Pan, who is seeking his third major appearance after this year's US Open and British Open, still believed he could catch the leader.
"This course is very hard. When you have a chance, you have to go for it,'' he said.
Danthai Boonma hit a 71 for 221 in the last tournament of his amateur career.