Thai teenager Phachara Khongwatmai charged into contention at the halfway stage of the US$3 million Maybank Championship after shooting a sparkling seven-under-par 65 on Friday.

 

 

The 18-year-old, whose name Phachara means ‘diamond’ in Thai, marked his card with seven birdies as he shared the lead with Italy’s Nino Bertasio (65) on 11-under-par 133 on a low scoring day at the Saujana Golf and Country Club.

 

 

 

 

A red-hot Lee Westwood of England fired 11 birdies against one bogey for a stunning 62 to lie a shot back in third place alongside Japanese star Yuta Ikeda (64), Marc Warren (66) and overnight leader Chris Paisley (69) at the event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

 

 

The sweet-swinging Phachara posted two birdies in his outward nine and enjoyed a superb run when he made five straight birdies from the 11th hole thanks to a hot putter. He was joined by Bertasio, who was in the last group of the day, at the top of the leaderboard when the Italian returned with eight birdies against one blemish.

 

 

Westwood continued his affinity with Asia where he has won nine times including the Malaysian Open in 1997 at Saujana. He is in position again to win at the course where he was a former touring professional from 1996 to 1999. 

 

 

Ikeda, the world number 43, fired eight birdies to stay in the hunt to secure a first victory outside of Japan where he has won 19 times.

 

 

The halfway cut was set at four-under-par 140 with a total of 81 players making the weekend rounds.

 

Did you know?

• Phachara credited a hot putter in a round of seven birdies. He totaled 27 putts and his highlight of his round was making five straight birdies from the 11th hole.
• This is the first time he has co-led in an event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.
• This is Phachara’s second 65 in the tournament. He opened with a 65 in last year’s Maybank Championship but eventually finished in tied 20th place.
• He enjoyed a superb 2017 season where he finished second thrice. In the season-ending Indonesian Masters, he shot a 21-under and lost by eight shots to Justin Rose.
• Phachara was part of Team Asia in the EurAsia Cup three weeks ago. He contributed two points and only lost in the Singles match against Bernd Wiesberger.  

 

 

Day 1: Bhullar displays gumption, trails leader Paisley by 3 shots at Maybank Championship

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