Prayad one shot behind leader heading into final day of Panasonic OPEN

BY N ON April Sat, 2017 23:27

 Prayad one shot behind leader heading into final day of Panasonic OPEN

Evergreen Prayad Marksaeng has stayed on course to land one more title in Japan when he was just one shot behind the leader into the final round of the Panasonic OPEN on Saturday.

The 51-year-old, who was four shots behind the leader after two rounds, posted a four-under-67 at the par-71 Umesato course, Chiba Country Club, in Noda City. A three-day total of 9-under-204 moved him up to tie second with locals Mikumu Horikawa (63) Hiroshi Iwata (67).

South Korea’s Junggon Hwang carded a 65 to take a one-shot lead on 203 at the tournament, co-sanctioned by JGTO and Asian Tour.

Prayad was more than happy with his round and he found it lucky not too disturbed by rain.

“I was playing nicely in my front-nine where I got four birdies,” he said.

“But it started to rain when I was playing my back-nine.”

“I made on bogey on 16 and was happy to finish the last two holes with par as the greens were getting hard to read by then.”

Prayad has become the most successful Thai player in Japan where he captured eight titles including four titles on Japan Senior Tour last year.  Two more Japan tour titles he won outside Japan are Thailand Open 2013 and Singapore Open 2017.

With 18 hole to play and a shot behind the leader, Prayad said that he would put all the cylinders to catch the leader and win the title.

“It’s going to be a interesting battle for me tomorrow. I’m going to fight,”said the Hua Hin native, who is seeking for his second title this year.

“I prefer to be trailing the leader as I can be aggressive, which has always been my style.”

Jason Knutzon, who took the lead in the first two days, had a bad round of 75. The American failed to sink any single birdie yesterday when he double-bogeyed at 2nd and bogeyed at 8th and 17th.

Thailand’s Panuphol Pittayarat, who trailed the leader by two shots after two rounds, made two birdies and five bogeys for a 74. He stayed tied 20th on 209. Jazz Janewattananond (72) was on 212 with Udorn Duangdecha (75) being one shot down further.

Poom Saksansin was joint 55th on 214 following a third round 72.