Unheralded Thai seizes 4-shot lead after a 64
that comfortable buffer with three more coming home for a 207 aggregate.
The solid effort moved the relatively unknown Thai close to a breakthrough pro title and duplicating the victory of compatriot Itthipat Nuranatanyarat last year.
Two-round leader Masrin fired a 71 and dropped into a three-way tie for second at 211 with Sweden’s Oscar Zetterwall and Japanese Toru Nakajima, who carded 68s.
Ryan Lam, the best Filipino after 54 holes, shot a 70 for 213 to be in the company of Americans Dino Giacomazzi and John Catlin, who carded a 65 and 70, in that order.
“I played pretty good—from putting to my iron [shots]—everything,” said Kasidit, who fell two shots shy of the course record set by Cassius Casas in the first leg of the 2001 First Gentleman tour.
Clyde Mondilla, the long-hitter from Del Monte in Bukidnon, moved within a stroke of Lam after a 67, catching the veteran Dutch- man Guido Van Der Valk at 214 in the tournament co-organized by the Asian Development Tour and Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Van Der Valk started the day just a stroke behind Masrin and actually got it to five under after a 32 coming out before dropping three shots in the back nine.
“I just committed a lot of mistakes,” Masrin later said. “But the good thing about it is that I am still in contention. Anything can still happen [in the final round].”