By PGA TOUR

Mexico City: Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat kept himself in position to notch a career fourth top-five in a World Golf Championships event when he fired a three-under 68 in the third round of the WGC-Mexico Championship to move up one rung to tied-seventh on Saturday.

Kiradech, 29, began the day with an easy birdie at the reachable par-four opening hole at Club de Golf Chapultepec before adding four more birdies on six, 11, 12 and 18 against dropped shots on seven and 16.

His three-day total of eight-under 205 will see Kiradech, the first Thai to hold a PGA TOUR card, start the final round on Sunday eight shots back of runaway leader Dustin Johnson, who now leads by four from Rory McIlroy after a masterclass 66 put him out well in front on 197.

Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama, the only Asian to win a WGC event, produced a 67 to move to tied-16 on 209 while Haotong Li of China fought to a level par 71 for tied-30. Korea’s Byeong Hun An shot eight birdies against a lone bogey for the joint best score of the day with a 64 for tied-46 while India’s Shubhankar Sharma carded a 70 for tied-54.

Kiradech’s iron play helped deliver some easy birdies, chipping close on the first hole to three feet to snare his first birdie and then ending his round in style with a wedge approach shot to six feet of the pin in front of appreciative Mexican fans.

“I’m happy with my game. I started well with an easy birdie and I putted okay for my other birdies. The greens are still a bit tricky to read and I did miss some makeable chances but overall, it was a good score,” said Kiradech, who arrived in Mexico on the back of three missed cuts in his last four starts.

The likeable Thai finished tied-fifth here 12 months ago for his career first top-five in a WGC which sparked a superb year that featured two other top-5fives in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play and WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai. He’s hoping to keep his foot firmly on the pedal to keep his WGC run going.

“I feel I’m swinging it good and hopefully I can continue tomorrow and play another under par round. It’s nice to start putting in some good scores and I guess it’s due to the work that I’ve put in recently to get my game back up after the year-end break. I’ll keep trying again and see if I can finish as high as I can. Hopefully I can hole a few more putts which will be very nice. It’s been fun coming back to play in Mexico and it’ll be especially good if I can finish well to end the week on a good note,” he said.

Tiger Woods, making his debut in the event, shot a 70 for T9, 10 shots back of Johnson who is chasing a sixth career WGC title.

BY PGA TOUR

Mexico City, February 23: Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat overcame a rocky four-putt double bogey start on Friday to remain in the top-10 at the halfway stage of the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship.

Kiradech showed great resolve at Club de Golf Chapultepec as he bounced back from his horror opening hole to sign for a second round two-under 69 for T8 position on five-under 137, six shots behind new leader Dustin Johnson.

Starting his day from the 10th tee, the 29-year-old Thai, who finished T5 here last year, fought back with a 14-foot birdie on 11 before enjoying three consecutive birdies at the turn, culminating with a 26-feet curler on the third hole. Kiradech three-putted from eight feet for bogey on seven but regained the shot with a 19-foot birdie putt at the next hole.

Japan’s Shugo Imahira carded a 67 to move up to T20 on 140 while China’s Haotong Li traded three birdies against four bogeys en route to a 72 to lie a further stroke back in T25 heading into the weekend. Young Indian Shubhankar Sharma, T9 last year, endured a disappointing 77 for T58.

Asia’s hopes in the US$10.25 million showpiece in Mexico City lies with Kiradech, who is the first Thai golfer to earn a PGA TOUR card. He was happy to stay on the fringe of contention as he attempts to become only the second Asian golfer after Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama to win a World Golf Championships event.

“It changed at the turn. Those three birdies got me back into the game. That putt (on three) was a great putt. That putt was amazing,” said Kiradech.

The four-time European Tour winner knows he must negotiate the tricky putting surfaces better over the weekend to make a title run. “I’ve been striking the ball solid the whole week but my putting isn’t working great. I dropped five shots in the first two rounds, which is from three three-putts and then one four-putt. I have to work on my putting, just a lot of work to do,” he said.

“I find it really difficult. A lot of pin positions were tough, against the slope. I know the green speed is not that fast. A lot of positions was right on top of the slope, so it was quite tough to read.”

His T8 position after two rounds, which is his best so far this year, has raised his confidence considerably after arriving in Mexico City on the back of three missed cuts in his last four starts.

“It means a lot, especially when I’m not playing well. I haven’t started good this year. I took a lot of time off from golf (six weeks at the end of the year), and not hitting enough balls. I’ve been working with my coach, Mike Walker, the last couple weeks, hitting a lot of balls. I feel like my game is getting back on the road again. All I need to do is to just roll the ball into the hole.”

Johnson, chasing a sixth World Golf Championships title, carded a 67 to take a two-shot lead over first round leader Rory McIlroy and Matt Kuchar while Tiger Woods, making his debut in the event, shot a 66 to move to T8 alongside Kiradech. Defending champion Phil Mickelson, who opened with a 79 on Thursday, improved by an amazing 14 shots with a second round 65 for T39, 13 shots behind the new leader.

• Prior to his win, Ryan Fox has never featured on a Sunday at the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth. And when he did, he would go on to lift the trophy for his first victory on both the Asian Tour and the European Tour. He came in 25th in 2017 and tied-26th in 2018.
• The 32-year-old Fox is the first New Zealander to win on the Asian Tour since Danny Lee won as an amateur at the Johnnie Walker Classic in Australia in 2009.
• Expectations were high for Adrian Otaegui to win the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth. After all, the Spaniard’s previous victories came from match play or knock out events (2018 Belgian Knockout and 2017 Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match Play). But it was not meant to be for the Spaniard who was playing in the event for the first time.
• Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy made a welcome return home after spending 20 years in the United States. The Major winner was one of the main drawcards for the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 but unfortunately did not feature in the weekend rounds after posting rounds of 76 and 77.
• The Beat the Pro initiative made its Australian debut at the ISPS HANDA World Super 6. It took place during the third round where up to 20 lucky fans got the chance to tee off against the pros for their chance to win $1000 worth of golf products.

Ryan Fox (Nzl)

It’s pretty damn good to me.  It’s been a tough day.  I think I went down the last hole a couple of times by the final and the conditions were pretty brutal again and it was pretty tough yesterday as well, so I’m very happy to be standing here. I just felt really calm.  I think I was a bit quick early in the quarter, in the semi and got away with it.  I guess I had a bit more of a chance to just sit down and take stock of things after the semi. I actually walked straight from the 18th to the tee in the previous matches.  It was nice to just relax and get focused for the final.  Adrian helped me out on a couple holes, but I felt really in control of things out there.  It was nice to hole a couple putts that mattered and I guess make it feel easy in the end.

Scott Vincent (Zim)

Adrian just played better than me in our semi-final. I had my chances but just didn’t take advantage of them. And that’s what happens at match play. I didn’t expect to get this far. Obviously there was a chance but the fact that I made it into the semi-final was pretty good. I will keep building from there and get better.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha)

I really felt I had it in my hand already and someone just slapped it away. I felt I got really close and I felt that if I had beaten Ryan Fox, I would have gone on to do better in the next one. But I guess you just have to accept it and move on. I’ll be heading to New Zealand next and I’ll work on the things that I fell short in this week. Hopefully I can lift myself up there and perform again.

Panuphol Pittayarat (Tha)

It wasn’t what I expected but it was also not what I had expected at the start of the week too. I didn’t set any targets but was also nice to have progressed into the knockout round. But I’ll take the result as what it is. It’s a good match play experience and I can only get better.

Perth, Australia, February 16: Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond is ready to prove his worth as he advanced to Sunday’s six-hole match play knockout rounds after carding a four-under-par 68 in the third round of the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth on Saturday.

Despite missing out on a top-eight position where the seeded players will receive a bye into the last 16, the three-time Asian Tour winner is in a relaxed mood ahead of Sunday’s showdown with Australia’s Steven Jeffress at the Lake Karrinyup Country Club.

The 23-year-old posted a three-day total of seven-under-par 209 to end the day three shots back of Sweden’s Per Langfors, who returned with a 64 to emerge as the 54-hole stroke play leader.

Panuphol Pittayarat, who took a share of the overnight lead, left it late to seal his place in Sunday’s match play rounds after signing for a 74.

The Thai was among the 11 players vying for one of the last 10 spots in the play-offs and safely punched his ticket with a par that will see him go head-to-head with England’s Ben Evans in the first knockout rounds on Sunday.

Zimbabwean Scott Vincent will also take on Wade Ormsby of Australia in the first round after a par at the first play-off hole confirmed his place as one of the top-24 players.

Did you know?

• Jazz Janewattananond will be making his first Sunday appearance at Lake Karrinyup Country Club. He missed the cut in his previous two attempts.
• Panuphol Pittayarat enjoyed his first top-10 this season when he finished tied-ninth at the Asian Tour season-opening event in Singapore.
• He is playing in his ninth season on the Asian Tour and has won twice.
• Scott Vincent is the first Zimbabwean to play on the Asian Tour. Although he has yet to win on the Asian Tour, he posted nine top-10s to finish the 2018 season in fifth place on the Order of Merit.
• A$50,000 in prize money will be allocated to the top three players after 54 holes. First place (A$25,000), Second place (A$15,000), Third place (A$10,000).
• The ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth format sees the top 24 players after three rounds of stroke-play progressing to the six-hole knockout match play on the fourth and final round on Sunday, with the top eight receiving a bye into the second round.
• The remaining 16 players will be randomly paired and will play the first round of knockout matchplay.
• Knockout matches on Sunday will be played on the 10th hole (par four), 11th hole (par five), 13th hole (par four), 14th hole (par four), 12th hole (par three), 18th hole (par four).
• Any matches tied after six holes will proceed to the “knockout hole” where a hole-by-hole play-off will be used to determine the winner.
• The knockout hole utilises the 18th green played from a new tee box located 80-90m from the green.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) Third round 68 (-4), Total 209 (-7)

It’s going to be fun. I’ve never played this format before and this is the first time I’ve made the cut and playing on a Sunday. I’m looking forward to it. I just got to go in fresh tomorrow and not think about other things. I have to play every shot like it’s my last shot. Just play your best, every shot. I’m just happy I’m inside the top-24 and anything can happen tomorrow.

Panuphol Pittayarat (Tha) Third round 74 (+2), Total 210 (-6)

It was very windy and tough out there today. I birdied 14 and 15 to get back to seven-under and then bogeyed the last. But I had a great up and down and I’m really happy I’m through. That third shot on the play-off hole was extremely important and I’m glad I hit it so close to the hole. I lost control of the ball especially in my front-nine but I’m standing here right now and I’m playing on Sunday. That’s all that matters

Scott Vincent (Zim) Third round 69 (-3), Total 210 (-6)

I don’t really have much of a match play experience. I played a little during junior and amateur golf but hardly in college or in my professional career. I’m looking forward to the new challenge. Match play is one of those things where anything can happen. It’s about trying to put together a few good holes and see how that goes. You could be playing against someone who could have set a course record or someone who barely broke par. But all of you are still in it. It’s just so different. Look at Kiradech last year. He barely made it and he won the tournament. If you’re in the shootout, you have a chance.

• Miguel Tabuena matched the lowest nine-hole score of 28 (-8) in relation to par on the Asian Tour.
• He is the second player to start with seven straight birdies on the Asian Tour, after Thailand’s Danthai Boonma achieved a similar feat at the TAKE Solutions Masters last year.
• The Filipino is a two-time Asian Tour winner. He won his National Open in 2015 and added another victory last year when he lifted the Queen’s Cup hosted by Jaidee Foundation last year.
• He also notched three top-10s to finish in 16th place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings in 2018.
• When he won his first Asian Tour title on home soil in 2015, he became the first Filipino to win his National Open since 2008 at just 21 years old.
• He was a silver medalist winner in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China in 2010.
• Kristoffer Reitan is playing in his rookie season on the European Tour.
• He came through all three stages of Qualifying School at the end of 2018 and was the only amateur to earn a European Tour card from Qualifying School that season.
• S.S.P. Chawrasia has missed the cuts in his first two events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
• His last victory on the Asian Tour came in 2017 when he won the Hero Indian Open

Miguel Tabuena (Phi) First round 65 (-7)

It was surreal. I have never shot eight-under on the front-nine before. A sub-60 round was definitely on my mind which I thought kind of cost me as I got ahead of myself. But it’s still a decent round and I’m pretty happy with my position. I’m trying a new technique and it’s paying off. But I slowed down in my back-nine which cost me a bit. 3.30am alarm this morning wasn’t that nice but the seven-under more than makes up for it. This is my first time here and I really enjoy playing this format. I’m glad to be here. It’s a long way from home but I’m happy how’s the week is turning out here.

Kristoffer Reitan (Nor) First round 65 (-7)

I’m really happy with that round. I played some good golf from tee to green very well, and holed some putts as well, so I’m really happy about the round. I qualified for the U.S. Open and qualified for the European Tour through Q School last year, So it’s something maybe with the qualifying mind-set that I enjoy.  So I hope that can work to my advantage this week. I’m just trying to learn as much as I can from every tournament and try to unlock my best golf.

S.S.P. Chawrasia (Ind) First round 68 (-4)

I’m happy to have returned with a bogey-free round today. I have been working on my putting for the last few months and it’s finally paying off this week. So if I can continue to do the same, I’ll have a good chance. This course is in excellent condition. Terry Pilkadaris and I were both looking at each other when Miguel went on that birdie run. He made birdies in his first seven holes, then par eight before making another birdie on 18. He made birdie on the first hole. He went to nine-under after 10 holes. I’ve never seen this before, but he’s playing good today.

Prom Meesawat (Tha)

It’s always nice to be back in a tournament where you have played well. Always good memories. You always try to ride on those positives and play even better. Everyone’s goal here is to win the tournament and you just got to believe in yourself, go out there and enjoy yourself. I was a little disappointed to have missed out on the win last year but the format has been set up this way and you just have to play according to the format. I felt six holes were too short for a match play and if there were more holes, I could have continued to stay in contention. But having said that, Lee played really well last year and I did the best I could then. I’m having a good life outside the golf course too especially being a father to two lovely kids now. It’s the best time of the year when you spend quality time with your little ones.

Viraj Madappa (Ind)

This is the first time I’m playing anything close to this format. It’s going to be exciting. I guess I just have to get through the first three days. I haven’t played too many match play events but I always enjoy playing them whenever I have that chance at home and the international amateur events. The course is lovely. It isn’t very long so you got to place the ball in the right position. The wind picks up in the afternoon and you have to be very careful. I’ve set higher expectations for myself this year. I’m more comfortable on Tour and that should help me a little more this year. I’m more familiar with the golf courses and people. I just have to keep doing my thing and hopefully it all work out. My good friend Shubhankar (Sharma) won the Order of Merit last year and I want to follow that path. My goal is the win the Order of Merit and I’ll try to work towards that. A good finish this week will definitely help.

Geoff Ogilvy (Aus)

I definitely got a bit jaded with the U.S. Tour.  The typical U.S. Tour setup is very similar every week, and it’s great and the PGA TOUR is an incredible tour, its unbelievable, but it just didn’t inspire me anymore.  I wasn’t getting excited to see these golf courses.  Every now and then you get some really amazing ones on that Tour, but generally the setups I didn’t really enjoy.  An added bonus to being here is being able to come and play more tournaments on courses that I enjoy, yeah, and this is one of the examples. We landed in January.  It’s been great.  I haven’t had a smile off my face for a month and a half.  It’s been a long time. I loved living in the U.S. and I loved playing there, and I’ll still play there a bit, I’m sure.  But happy to have the family back in Australia and amongst your people.  I love it in America, I love it here and this is home.  I wanted my kids to experience a little bit what I had.  My wife was always pretty interested in moving here. I’ve never been more motivated to be a good golfer, but I’ve never been less motivated to run around with a suitcase and go to strange places and leave the family.