On a day when the mercury passed 100 degrees Fahrenheit in steamy Kuala Lumpur it was perhaps not surprising to see a Thai golfer leading the Maybank Malaysian Open, as 18 year old Chinarat Phadungsil carded a second round 67 before play was cancelled due to lightning.
When the players were called off the course at 4.50pm local time, Phadungsil led the way on seven under par 137 from a quintet on five under.
The English duo of Simon Dyson and Marcus Higley were safely back in the clubhouse along with Mikko Ilonen of Finland, while the other players sharing second place, Argentines Rafael Echenique and Ricardo Gonzalez, were among the 78 players who will have to complete their second rounds on Saturday morning when play resumes at 8.00am local time.
Phadungsil, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, was brilliant with seven birdies against two bogeys at a sweltering Saujana Golf and Country Club on Friday but it was Dyson, surprisingly dressed from head to toe in black, who really got the pulses racing.
The Englishman, considered something of an Asian specialist after four wins in the region including Indonesia on The 2006 European Tour International Schedule, had two birdies and an eagle in his opening four holes en route to an outward half of 30.
He was never likely to keep such free-scoring exploits going as the temperatures, and in particular the humidity soared and eight pars and a double bogey six on his penultimate hole saw him home in 38 for a round of four under 68.
“After the year I had out here (in 2000 Dyson was the Asian Tour Order of Merit and had three wins) whenever I come back I feel like I am the one to beat. So the confidence is up and even when I am not playing great I come here and get the results,” said the 29 year old.
“However, I am pleased with the way I have played these past two days. I played great the front nine but on the second nine nothing went for me, I couldn’t hole a putt. I am just struggling to read the nap on the greens. When there was some dew on them this morning they were rolling nice and that’s why I shot 30. But when the dew went on the second nine I was struggling to hole them.”
Tied with Dyson on 139 is Higley, the Challenge Tour graduate getting it round in 67 to follow his opening effort of 72, and Ilonen, who added a 70 to his 69. Meanwhile, Echenique is five under with two holes left to play and Gonzalez eagled the 13th before the lightning started to gate-crash the party in second place.
The Argentines will return at 8am on Saturday with their minds focused on trying to catch Chinarat, the former world junior amateur champion, while the Thai is hoping to emulate compatriot Thongchai Jaidee, who won at Saujana in 2004 and 2005.
“I hit it so good today. All my shots worked out quite nicely except for my putting, which was average. However, most of my birdies were from very close range and the only long putt that I had was on the fourth hole (he started from the 10th tee) from 20 feet,” said Chinarat. “It was very hot and humid out there and I think that’s why the Asian players have always done well at Saujana because the Europeans struggle a bit in the heat.”
Former US Open champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand bounced back with a 70 after an opening 75, but will enter the week rounds eight off the pace. “It’s awfully hard to read these greens sometimes. Yesterday, I hit 14 greens and shot 75 and today I hit 17 greens and shot 70. One thing that stands out is the putting.
“Obviously I’m not here to make the cut, I’m here to win a tournament. There might still be a chance if I can shoot a couple of low rounds,” said Campbell.
Australian Gavin Flint produced the first albatross on this season’s European and Asian Tours when he holed his second shot with a three wood from 259 yards on the par five 18th hole in his round of 71.
“It was an awesome way to finish the day. You never expect it to drop in the hole but it was on line. It was the shot that I wanted to hit and it was nice that it went in,” said the Aussie.
Ulsterman Darren Clarke carded a 72, which included a double bogey at his last hole, for a 146 total, which stood as the cut mark when play was abandoned.
“I played lovely all day and had a lot of really good shots but if they could finish a foot off the green or be buried in the rough, they did. It was the same as yesterday but 10 times worse today. At 15 I missed the fairway by two inches and had to chip out sideways,” lamented Clarke.
Once the second round is completed, the third round will will start not before 11.15am and will be a two-tee looped draw.
