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KUALA LUMPUR : Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat is well positioned to win his first Asian Tour title after taking the joint third-round lead with Welshman Rhys Davies at the Maybank Malaysian Open on Saturday.
Kiradech, 20, birdied three of his last four holes for a four-under-par 68 and a three-day total of 11-under-par 205 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
Davies tied the Thai rising star with a battling 71, which included three birdies against a double bogey.
The final round of the two-million-dollar co-sanctioned Asian Tour and European Tour event is poised for a photo finish with two-time champion Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand (69), Soren Hansen of Denmark (69) and Koreans K.J. Choi (69) and Noh Seung-yul (67) a shot behind the leaders on 206.
Kiradech, a former junior world champion, nearly sank the first hole-in-one of the tournament when his six-iron tee shot on the 15th ended an inch behind the hole. Although disappointed to not win a car on offer, it sparked a stunning finish as he went on to birdie 17 and 18.
"My ball striking has been improving and that has played a part in my good performance. I missed a couple of putts on the back nine but I'm happy with the way I finished," said Kiradech.
"I couldn't see where my tee shot ended but heard the crowd shouting and when I walked over I saw the ball was about an inch from the hole. If I had won the car, I would have driven it back to Thailand," he added.
The big-hitting Kiradech hopes it will be third time lucky on Sunday as he has led twice previously going into the final round of an Asian Tour event, only to miss out with the finish line in sight.
Davies, who played 25 holes on Saturday, rallied with two birdies on the front nine. After a double bogey on 10 which was a result of an errant drive into the water hazard, he fought back with a birdie on 17 and then missed a makeable birdie chance on the last for the outright lead.
Vying for a third Maybank Malaysian Open title, reigning Asian Tour number one Thongchai mixed his card with five birdies against two bogeys to return with a 69 and was relishing the opportunity to win a record-equalling third Malaysian Open victory. - AFP/ms
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