Written By: Anjali Mishra

Chan Shih-chang of Taiwan put himself in a chance to win on the Asian Tour for the first time in five years by taking the third-round lead in the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship today, alongside American Sihwan Kim, who is seeking his maiden triumph.

They both shot four-under 68s on the Canyon Course at Blue Canyon Country Club to move to 14 under par for the US$1 million event, which marked the Asian Tour's return after a 20-month hiatus due to Covid.

Overnight leader Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand is two shots down in third place, with Australian Scott Hend (65), Korean Joohyung Kim (69), and American John Catlin a further stroke back (72).

While on 2nd day Sadom was making a good lead with an imperious eight-under-par 64, and although it could not be counted as an official record because preferred lies were played he still stormed to the top of the leaderboard at the US$1million Blue Canyon Phuket Championship round 2. Sadom has claimed four titles on the All Thailand Golf Tour in the past two months including the Thailand Open and looks like being the man to beat this week, along with Catlin and Chan.

Australian Wade Ormsby, the current leader of the Asian Tour Order of Merit, shot a 69 and is six off the pace, while Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond ‒ the reigning Merit list champion ‒ returned a 72 to surprisingly miss the cut, made at one under, by four.

Thailand’s 14-year-old golf prodigy Ratchanon Chantananuwat signed for a 72 to become the third youngest player to make the cut on the Asian Tour. He’s on one under par and as the only amateur to survive the halfway cut has secured the low amateur award.

Meanwhile India’s Krandeep kochhar, Veer Ahlawat and Shiv Kapur also performed well and Shiv Kapur flew on the wings of a fine eagle and two birdies against two bogeys for a five-under 67 that carried him into the Top-10 at the Blue Canyon Championship on Saturday. He was Tied-9th, the same as young Veer Ahlawat, who also had an eagle – though on Par-5 15th as against Kapur's eagle on Par-5 ninth.
Veer also had five birdies and two bogeys and moved up to nine-under.