Korean catches Mamat at helm

CARMONA, Cavite, Philippines  – Wang Jeung Hun silenced the big guns of Asian Tour with a day’s best seven-under 65 fashioned out in windy conditions as the Korean youth sensation grabbed a share of the lead with steady Mardan Mamat halfway through the $1 million Resorts World Manila Masters presented by 918.com here yesterday.

Wang, 19, finally flashed his familiarity with the Masters layout where he used to train during his amateur days after a 70 start Thursday, hitting nine birdies this time that negated a two-bogey mishap and shoved him to the lead at 11-under 133 with the smooth-swinging Mamat, who spiked his 68 with four straight birdies from No 6.

“It helps that I trained here a lot during my amateur days. We moved and stayed in the Philippines for six years because it’s cheaper to play golf here than in Korea,” said Wang, who had racked up five amateur titles, including the 2011 Canlubang Open and 2012 Phl Amateur Championship at Riviera.

But Wang also had to draw some luck to get a view of the top. After a solid drive on the par-4 No. 10, where he teed off, he hit his approach shot into a camera tower with the ball, instead of going out-of-bounds, landing back instead near the green.

He salvaged a par and things turned right for him the rest of the way.

“I just got lucky,” said Wang.

Mamat, meanwhile, leaned on his sheer talent to turn a one-over card after 12 holes into a four-under as he buried five birdies in the last six holes, including four straight to salvage a 68.

“I had a slow start today,” said the 47-year-old Mamat, the 2012 Philippine Open winner at Wack Wack who sizzled with a 65 in the first round to share the lead with Japanese Daisuke Kataoka, who fumbled with a 73. 

“I couldn’t get my momentum right on my front nine (from the 10th) but I am still happy to get even par after the turn. I then told myself to stay patient out there and I managed to get five birdies in the last six holes.

“It was a great finish for me, I knew I had to keep my pace to stay in contention and told myself to stay in the game if I want to go two or three-under,” said Mamat.

Two strokes behind the joint leaders is Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat, the reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion who missed grabbing a share of the lead with a 69 after holing out with a bogey on the par-5 18th which he eagled in a fiery 66 start.

“I’m upset with myself because I tried to attack the 18th. I couldn’t get up and down from around 15 yards the third shot,” said Aphibarnrat. “But it’s not a bad position and I’m just going to try doing the same thing, striking and rolling the ball well. I’ve got a lot of confidence after some top five or top 10 finishes.”

England’s Steve Lewton fired a 66 to tie Malaysian Danny Chia, who carded a 71, at 137 while Kataoka led the 138 scorers who included Nicholas Fung of Malaysia (69), Spain’s Javi Colomo (69), American Paul Peterson (70), and Taiwanese Hung Chien-yao (71).

Three-time local tour champion Tony Lascuña took the cudgels for the beleaguered local side as erstwhile contender Juvic Pagunsan hobbled with a one-over 73 marred by three double-bogeys and tumbled to joint 15th at 140.

Lascuña, seeking for his breakthrough win on the Asian Tour, turned in a 71 to join Canadian Richard Lee (68), Korean Lee In-woo (66) and Thai Thitiphun Chuayprakong (68) at 11th at 139.

Pagunsan, impressive with a bogey-free 67 start, hit three straight birdies from No, 3 to crowd the leaders but made three double-bogeys on Nos. 7, 10 and 11 against three bogeys before dropping another stroke on the 18th.

“I lost it in the back,” rued Pagunsan.

Other Filipinos who made the cut at 145 were Elmer Salvador (74-143), Frankie Miñoza (71-144), Clyde Mondilla (73-144), Miguel Tabuena (71-145), Joenard Rates (71-145) and Benjie Magada (75-145) but Angelo Que, one of the early local favorites, missed the weekend play with a 148 after a 72 along with Jay Bayron (76-147), Cassius Casas (74-147), Rufino Bayron (70-148), Elmer Saban (73_147), Rey Pagunsan (70-147) and Mars Pucay (76-148).