Singapore: Malaysian Gavin Green maintained his lead in the US$1.5 million International Series Singapore yesterday at Tanah Merah Country Club but was joined by Thai star Phachara Khongwatmai.
Green, the Asian Tour No.1 in 2017 and the leader after the first two days following a pair of stunning seven-under-par 65s, returned 72 to stay at 14 under, while Phachara shot 69 in the third International Series event this season.
Taiwan's Chan Shih-chang and Thailand's Nitithorn Thippong were a shot behind following rounds of 66 and 68 respectively, while England's Steve Lewton came in with a 69 to sit a stroke further back.
Play was stopped at 11.10am and resumed at 1.30pm because of inclement weather.
"It was a grinding day, it was such a grind, I couldn't get anything going," said Green, whose birdie on eight was offset by a dropped shot on 13 -- a stark contrast to his 14 birdies and no bogeys on Thursday and Friday.
"Nevertheless, I just hung in there as hard as I could, making pars from everywhere, sometimes you just got to do that."
Both Green and Phachara are chasing their second wins on the Asian Tour, with Green having won the Mercuries Taiwan Masters in 2017, and the latter the 2021 Laguna Phuket Championship.
Phachara said: "Today everything wasn't bad, only one thing was my putting. Because I hit it pretty well, same as in the first and second rounds, but missed a lot of putts. I hope tomorrow the putting is going to work.
"The greens were a little bit slower today I think, all my distance was gone. My reads were great, but only the distance wasn't good."
Meanwhile, Chan looked set to finish the day sharing the lead but dropped a shot on 18.
Nitithorn achieved the rare feat of making two eagles on par fours on the front, on three and nine.
"I know it's unbelievable," said the Thai, winner of The DGC Open in India in March.
"I didn't expect that it's going to be in the hole on the third. It was a blind shot you know. I didn't see anything, but I just knew that I hit a good shot from 168 yards. And I walked to the green and it was in. So yeah, happy with that result."
"On hole nine I had 63 yards, it was in that gap you know. I don't really hit that distance well, but I hit it and it went in," he added.
He made the turn in five-under-par 31 but could not maintain the momentum over the back nine.