Sikhio: Lionel Weber carded a second round 67 to reach 11 under heading into the final round of the Mena Tour’s Mountain Creek Open in Thailand on Tuesday.
The Frenchman, who is chasing his first win on tour, made seven birdies, including five on the front nine, against two bogeys, to go four clear of England’s Luke Joy, who carded a bogey-free 68.
Dubai-based Swiss amateur Michael Harradine shares third with Thailand’s Pattaraphol Khanthacha on six under, while America’s Blake Snyder occupies solo fifth a further a shot behind, one ahead of Scotland’s James Byrne.
“I feel my game is in great shape,” said Weber, who finished tied for seventh at last week’s MahaSamutra Masters after taking a first round lead. “Although I hear some players have lost many balls, I am still playing with the same lucky one. The course is pretty tricky and you need to shape the ball a lot — and I did that. “Also, you need to focus on every shot. It always feels good to be in Thailand as it’s a great place to play golf,” he added.
England’s Joy, a two-time winner on tour, has given himself another shot at a title, keeping it clean in the second round.
“It’s a course where you have to be very patient,” he said. “It’s quite fiddly. It goes from fairway to jungle and there is not much in-between. I actually lost my ball on Monday as we were playing in fading light after a thunderstorm forced suspension of play.
“I played quite steady today and going bogey-free always feels good. This is a course you do not want to overpower yourself. In fact, I have used my driver just three times.”
Harradine carded another three red numbers on Tuesday against just one bogey to extend his lead over his nearest challenger Rayhan Thomas in the amateur division.
Dubai-based Indian Thomas, 17, made the turn at two-under, but dropped four shots in a four-hole stretch from 11 before making gains on 16 and 17 that left him in a tie for 14th at one-under, four behind Harradine.
Elsewhere, last week’s winner Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand and defending champion Wolmer Murillo of Venezuela were tied for 10th on two-under.
England’s Zane Scotland (10 over), Clarke Lutton of Scotland (eight over), Leo Lilja of Spain (11 over) and cricketer-turned-golfer Craig Kieswetter (14 over) were among the notables who missed the cut, made at five-over 149.
