Newport Laparojkit demonstrated his golfing skills with a flawless second round of 65, securing the top spot on the leaderboard at the five-million-baht Thailand Mixed on Friday.
The tournament at the Lakeview Resort and Golf Club in Phetchaburi is jointly sanctioned by the TrustGolf Tour and WPGA of Australia.
Hailing from the scenic town of Songkhla, Newport relied on his strong putting prowess to deliver an impressive performance.
He carded four birdies on the front nine and added two more after making the turn and his round was without a single bogey.
With a score of 12-under-par 130 after 36 holes, Newport found himself in a commanding position.
Suttinon Panyo, who had nine birdies against two bogeys, was second on 131.
Nutdanai Nuangjaknin fired a 67 for a two-day score of 132, one ahead of Vanchai Luangnitikul and Pimnipa Panthong.
Reflecting on his second round, Newport said: "It was a pretty good bogey-free round for me. There was no hole where I had to make three putts. I was able to stick to my game plan throughout the day.
"The best part of my game today was playing it safe. I didn't make a lot of mistakes or take unnecessary risks. I managed to keep things under control. Although I had a couple of bad holes due to some errant chip shots, it didn't affect me as I still secured pars on those holes."
With his outstanding performance, Newport, who won on the Thailand PGA Tour in Lamphun last year, firmly established himself as a strong contender for the title.
Commenting on his form this year, the 26-year-old said: "I'm not entirely satisfied with my performance this season. I've had several tournaments that didn't yield favourable results. That's why I've been diligently working on improving my iron play and short game."
Looking ahead to the weekend's rounds, Newport said: "I don't have any lofty expectations. I simply want to enjoy myself and stick to my game plan."