Thailand’s Sutijet Kooratanapisan held on to the third round lead with a three-under-par 69 but would have to share it with Sweden’s Oscar Zetterwall at the US$100,000 Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament presented by Panasonic on Friday.
Zetterwall flew under the radar when he stormed up the leaderboard with a 64 to deny Sutijet the outright lead with his three-day total of 17-under-par 199 at the BSD course by Damai Indah Golf.
Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai posted a 68 to take third place while Micah Lauren Shin of the United States returned with a 201 total to take fourth spot at the Asian Development Tour (ADT) event.
Sutijet continued to show the form that has kept him atop the leaderboard for the last two rounds after trading five birdies and two bogeys to put himself in contention for this second ADT win.
While satisfied with his round, the Thai knows the job is not done until he makes his last putt.
“I’ll try my best tomorrow. Anything can happen but more importantly, I’ve to play my own game and not get distracted by others,” said Sutijet.
Zetterwall was a man on fire as he made one of the biggest moves.
A bogey-five on the second hole did little to show the Swede’s title credentials.
It was only after a birdie on three and an eagle on the par-five four that Zeterwall soared.
He surged further ahead with four birdies in the next five holes for an outward 30 and would complete an eventful day with an inward 34 that included a closing birdie on the last.
“I did not feel that I would end the day like this especially after making a bogey on the second hole.
It took that birdie and eagle on the holes following that to start the momentum which I was glad it continued right to the end of the round,” said Zetterwall.
Zetterwall, who missed out on an Asian Tour card at Qualifying School this year, is hopeful of redeeming himself with a grandstand finish on Saturday.
“I’ve a good chance (of winning) and I want to make the best of it,” said the Swede.
The winner of the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament presented by Panasonic will take home a prize purse of US$17,500 and receive six OWGR points while the top six players and ties will also earn points based on a sliding scale.
For more information on the ADT, please visit www.asiandevelopmenttour.com
Leading third round scores
199- Oscar ZETTERWALL (SWE) 69-66-64, Sutijet KOORATANAPISAN (THA) 64-66-69
200- Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) 65-67-68
201- Micah Lauren SHIN (USA) 66-69-66
202- Johannes VEERMAN (USA) 67-66-69
205- Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 68-70-67, Gavin GREEN (MAS) 67-70-68, Irfan YUSOFF (MAS) 67-68-70, Nicholas FUNG (MAS) 69-65-71
206- Nick SHERWOOD (USA) 66-73-67
