Singapore’s Lam Chihbing extended his hot form with a 6-under 66 yesterday to claim a two-stroke lead at the halfway point of the Asian Tour’s season-ending Volvo Masters.
Lam was runner-up at the Cambodian Open last week, and has showed more good touch to move to a two-round total of 9-under 135, putting him clear of a group of four players at 7-under: local hope Chapchai Nirat of Thailand (66), Antonio Lascuna (67) of the Philippines and Australian pair Mitchell Brown (67) and Marcus Both (68).
Since securing his tour card for next year with a strong showing at the lucrative Singapore Open last month, a more relaxed Lam has thrived and duly took his place in the season ender for the Tour’s top 65 players.
“After Singapore, knowing that I’ve kept my card, it’s become so much easier to play out here,” Lam said. “It was a big monkey off my back. I can pretty much freewheel it now.”
“I didn’t get it done on the last day in Singapore but to know that I could actually match some of the best players in the world gave me a lot of confidence,” he said.
Both Lam and Chapchai have benefited by switching putters, and the two also shared a common experience in Singapore where they played in the final group on the last day alongside world No. 3 Phil Mickelson, only to fall out of contention.
“It is a mental game,” big-swinging Chapchai said. “I learnt a lot from Singapore. Right now, my game is okay. I am in good form and hopefully I can control my mind and my emotions better than I did in Singapore.”
His fellow Thai and defending champion Prayad Marksaeng hauled himself back into contention for a title defense with a tournament-best 65, putting him in outright eighth, four shots off the lead.
“I was not too worried about shooting a 74 yesterday [Thursday]. I knew I would be out early this morning and I thought I could play well. That is how it turned out,” Prayad said.
The Thai needs a good result this weekend to cement his position in the world’s top-50 and earn a place in the US Masters.
He is lying a shot behind compatriot Chawalit Plaphol (67) and Taiwan’s Lin Wen-tang (70).
Lin is currently 51st in world rankings and is also keen for a good showing that would put him inside the top 50 at year’s end and thus confirm his place in next year’s US Masters.
This year’s Order of Merit winner Jeev Milka Singh of India improved with a 70 but is already seemingly out of contention after a first-round 76, leaving him 11 shots off the lead.
First-round leader Neven Basic of Australia had a 74 to go from a two-stroke lead to a five-shot deficit.
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