Chinarat, Yates Blast To The Top At Midea China Classic

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CHINARAT, YATES BLAST TO THE TOP AT MIDEA CHINA CLASSIC

Guangzhou, September 15: Scotsman Simon Yates and Thai young gun Chinarat Phadungsil eagled the final 18th hole for a two-stroke lead at the Midea China Classic on Saturday.

Yates, 37, blasted a stunning nine-under-par 62 that included two eagles as he equaled the course record set by Chinarat who fired a 64 in the third round today. The duo were tied at the top of the pack after a 19-under-par 194 total at the Royal Orchid International Golf Club.

Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, who is ranked 19th on the Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit, carded a 68 in lone third spot while Filipino Mars Pucay continued his aggressive approach with a 66 in fourth position for a 199 total.

The Thai-based Yates was eight under after 11 holes that included an eagle at the 10th hole. He was struggling off the tee today and endured two dropped shots on the 12th and 13th holes but bounced back with a birdie on the 14th hole. He closed in with style holing a 25 foot eagle putt on the 543 yards 18th hole.

“What can I say, it was my day today. I was very lucky throughout the round and I hope for the same on Sunday,” said the Glasgow-born Yates who has been riding on solid form this season thanks to a new swing technique taught by Simon Hurd’s coach Stewart Morgan early this year.

“I was driving it solid off the tee in the first two rounds but today, it was going all over the place. I think my bad habits started creeping in. But my eagles at the par four 10th and 18th holes were lucky. With the luck, I hope to get back to my new ways and finish off at the top,” he added.

Chinarat, who won his maiden Asian Tour title as an amateur in Thailand two years ago, shared a similar sentiment when he enjoyed a lucky break on the 18th hole.

“It was a great finish to my round but I was really lucky on the final 18th hole. My shot off the tee landed in the rough and I was 230 yards from the pin. A five wood got me out of trouble where the ball then hit the road, struck the curb and bounced back onto the green. I holed it from 10 feet. Great end to a lucky round,” said Chinarat, who won the 2006 Crowne Plaza Open.

“I will be nervous and a little bit tired heading into the final round but I’m excited to play with Simon. In Johor, we were playing together and we had a lot of fun on course as he is a really friendly guy so I hope to have a relaxed time with him when we compete against each other on the final day,” admitted Chinarat, who fired an eagle, six birdies against a lone bogey today.

Compatriot Thaworn was pleased to have regained his form this week as he remains in contention after a 68 while fourth place Pucay will be on the offensive determined to produce his best finish on the Asian Tour this season.

“I decided on an aggressive approach and it paid off yesterday. I did the exact same strategy today and now I’m in the best position I’ve been in all year. I haven’t had a top-10 finish this year so it is looking very good for me to deliver my best result in a long time,” said Pucay, who is playing in his ninth event this season.

China’s Liang Wen-chong, the current UBS Order of Merit leader, blasted a 65 and rose to tied 11th position while compatriot Zhang Lian-wei posted a 69 in tied 28th spot.

The last two rounds of the Midea China Classic will be aired live on ESPN StarSports. There will also be terrestrial coverage in Indonesia and Thailand with 30 million in estimated number of audience, with the Asian Tour Weekly Magazine show to be televised across the region through ESPN StarSports.

Leading third round scores

194 - Simon Yates (SCO) 68-64-62, Chinarat Phadungsil (THA) 68-62-64

196 - Thaworn Wiratchant (THA) 65-63-68

199 - Mars Pucay (PHI) 66-67-66

200 - Brad Iles (NZL) 66-71-63, Scott Barr (AUS) 68-66-66, S.S.P. Chowrasia (IND) 65-67-68, Edward Michaels (USA) 65-64-71

201 - Lin Wen-tang (TPE) 68-67-66, Hur In-hoi (KOR) 68-64-69

202 - Jerome Delariarte (PHI) 69-69-64, Liang Wen-chong (CHN) 67-70-65, Troy Kennedy (AUS) 69-67-66, Michael Wright (AUS) 67-66-69, Jin Park (USA) 66-67-69

David Freeman (HKG) 68-64-70, Choengchai Punpumpo (THA) 66-66-70

203 - Wu Kang-chun (CHN) 68-65-70

204 - Atthaphon Prathummanee (THA) 67-69-68

205 - Chapchai Nirat (THA) 72-68-65, Lu Wen-teh (TPE) 71-67-67, Anthony Kang (USA) 70-66-69, S. Sivachandran (MAS) 69-66-70, Park Jun-won (KOR) 69-66-70, Hendrik Buhrmann (RSA) 67-68-70, Rahil Gangjee (IND) 66-68-71, Neven Basic (AUS) 69-65-71

source: Asiantour.com