The in-form Kanyalak Preedasuttijit on Friday shot a second round 68 to lead at the halfway stage of the Bt3 million Thailand Mixed golf tournament hosted by TrustGolf at the Lake View Resort and Country Club in Cham-Am, Petchaburi.
The 23-year-old from Chonburi, one of the Thursday’s leaders along with Pannapa Polnamin and amateur Ramil Saelim, carded an eagle on the 12th hole and four birdies against two bogeys for an 11 under-par-133, sending her into the weekend rounds with a two-shot advantage over teen Pannarai Meeso-us.
“I made several crucial putts out there. There were a couple of bad shots like in the last hole where I hit into the rough. The greens were a bit wet because of the rain, and it was tough to guess if my shots were going to the left or right,” said Kanyalak, who emerged as a strong contender for the first time since claiming the Ladies European Tour Thailand Championship three years back.
“It’s been a long time since I led in a tournament. I’m feeling great to be able to play in the lead group again. What really matters to me is that I’m feeling happy playing golf and I will try to carry this momentum into the next two days,” Kanyalak said.
Propelled by a spectacular form at the front nine where she fired six birdies and an eagle on the fifth, 17-year-old Pannarai finished the day second with a second round 65 and a midway total of nine under-par-135. Despite committing two bogeys against a bogey on the back, the teenager still tied for the low round of the day with Chanettee Wannasaen from Chiang Mai.
“I drove incredibly and putted well at the front nine. But things changed quickly after the turn. I missed the fairways and had to fight my way back from tough positions. Still, it’s quite a good round for me,” said Pannarai from Chonburi.
“I’ve never been in this position after I turned pro. Everybody will try their best to win. As for myself, I will try to stick to my routine and will try to stay pressure-free,” added the teenager.
Co-overnight leader Ramil Saelim, with an eagle on the 12th, a birdie and two bogeys, carded a 71 for an eight under-par-136, which placed him at joint third with Chanettee.
“My tee shots and approach shots let me down on the back nine. For Saturday, I have to be more careful and control my shots better to stay in contention,” said the 16-year-old amateur Ramil from Phitsanulok.
Pannapa, one of the three leaders in round one, stumbled to a 75 for a four under-par-140.
The Thailand Mixed hosted by TrustGolf is supported by the Sports Authority of Thailand, the National Sports Development Fund, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Bangkok Bank, B.Grimm Company, Bond Holdings, AISPLAY, Bridgestone, Trust Pharmacy, Trust Live Streaming and the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration.
Fans can watch live streaming of the 3rd round on AISPLAY APP, https://www.facebook.com/trustgolfclub and at TrustGolf Youtube channel from 9am onwards during tournament days.
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