Donaldson stays top after second round
Chinnarat four off the pace as Prayad and Jazz fail to make Thailand Championship cut
>> CHON BURI: Wales’ Jamie Donaldson stayed two shots ahead in the second round of the Thailand Golf Championship yesterday but is likely to spend the weekend looking over his shoulder as Germany’s Martin Kaymer is threatening to catch up.
Overnight leader Donaldson, who opened with a nine-under-par 63 for a three-shot lead on the first day, kept the momentum going with seven birdies against three bogeys for a 68 at Amata Spring Country Club that put him on 131 at the Asian Tour’s penultimate event of the season.
Kaymer, last year’s runner-up, impressed with a 65 with eight birdies and one bogey to move up to second on 132.
Three-time Asian Tour winner Chinnarat Phadungsil, who is seeking to end a six-year title drought, was four off the pace following a 69.
He was joint third on 135 along with England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick (67) and former champion Sergio Garcia of Spain (69).
Tournament debutant Donaldson, bidding for his first title of the year, said he stuck to the strategy that had worked well for him in the opening round.
“It’s important to get off to a good start to keep the momentum going and I managed to do that today,” said Donaldson, who carded four birdies on the front nine before claiming three birdies and three bogeys on the back nine.
“I played well on the first two days. I dropped a couple of shots out there today, but overall, I’ve been playing nicely.”
Donaldson admitted the tropical heat was a factor.
“It was a great temperature to start with, but it got really hot on the back nine,” he said.
Former world No.1 Kaymer, who lost to Lee Westwood by a stroke last year, said he hit some good iron shots towards the greens and gave himself a lot of chances to pick up birdies.
“I didn’t miss many putts. It was even better than yesterday,” said the two-time major winner. “I think a seven-under-par is a really good score.”
Looking ahead to the weekend, Kaymer said: “I just need to stay where I am heading into the weekend. I am hitting a lot of fairways and I think it’s really important.”
Chinnarat, who earned a Japan Golf Tour card a week ago, was happy with his round as he didn’t have a chance to practise at the course at all.
“I am happy to be in the mix heading into the last two rounds,” Chinnarat said.
“I earned my Japan Golf Tour card through the qualifying school and that really gave me a boost in confidence.”
Looking for his first win since the 2009 Queen’s Cup, Chinnarat said he would not put too much pressure on himself but would only try to play his own game.
“Hopefully I can continue to do well over the next two days,” he said.
“I have never played in the [British] Open, so I hope I can be one of the four players to qualify this week.”
Garcia, fresh from winning in Vietnam last week, felt that a nineunder-par total after two rounds was pretty good.
Garcia, the 2013 Thailand Golf Championship winner, said: “Hopefully, I can contend again the way I did in Vietnam last week.”
Rising Thai star Natipong Srithong, four shots behind the leader after the first round, was tied for 11th spot on 139 with defending champion Westwood (68), Phachara Khongwatmai (71), Joost Luiten of the Netherlands (70) and Chanat Sakulpolphaisan (73).
Natipong started well with four birdies on the first eight holes and then dropped a shot each at the ninth and 10th. He managed a birdie on the 16th but suffered a double bogey at the 17th and bogey at the last.
Word No.28 Thongchai Jaidee, whose best finish in the tournament has been a joint sixth last year, improved with a 67, following a 73 on the first day.
Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who struggled with his driver, settled for a 72.
He was on 141 along with Shingo Katayama of Japan (70) and world No.4 Bubba Watson (70).
Watson, a runner-up here in 2012, said the course was very difficult and that he was unable to get the speed right on the greens.
Danthai Boonma, who won the World Classic last month, fired a second straight 71 for 142.
The cut was made at 144 with veteran Thai Prayad Marksaeng and young compatriot Jazz Janewattananond failing to reach the weekend rounds.