June 25th, 2010  - by Najam

BATANGAS, Philippines: Chawalit Plaphol on Friday made a sensational eagle on the par-four 16th for a three-under-par 69 to maintain a five-stroke lead over Tony Lascuna at the ICTSI Mount Malarayat Championship.The Thai, who had pulled away from the pack with a course-record tying 64 at Mount Malarayat Golf and Country Club on Thursday, struggled for consistency during the third round at the 50,000-dollar event in the Philippines.
He endured a rollercoaster round of three birdies against three bogeys after 12 holes, but the 35-year-old banged in back-to-back birdies from the 13th, dropped a stroke on 15 before knocking in his wedge shot from 110 yards for an eagle on the next hole.Chawalit has a 54-hole aggregate of 18-under-par 198 in the Mercedes-Benz Tour event.”My approach shots were so-so, except for that second shot on 16,” said Chawalit, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour. His last win came in the 2006 Bangkok Airways Open.
Once the rising star of golf in Asia, Chawalit has been struggling with his form over the past few seasons and has been using the Mercedes-Benz Tour to help rediscover his game.Local hope Lascuna also carded a 69 and is once again in the hunt for his first Mercedes-Benz Tour title having come close many times over the past three years.But Lascuna conceded Chawalit’s lead was significant: “With the way he’s playing, it’s going to be tough for us to catch up.”
Filipino Jay Bayron fired a 69 and is in third place seven strokes behind the leader. Bayron currently tops the Mercedes-Benz Tour Order of Merit after three straight runner-up finishes this year.
Leading third-round scores (Par 72):
198 – Chawalit Plaphol (THA) 65 64 69
203 – Antonio Lascuna (PHI) 66 68 69
205 – Jay Bayron (PHI) 69 67 69
206 – Ebarra Quiachon (PHI) 69 71 66
207 – Ferdie Aunzo (PHI) 71 71 65, Jerson Balasabas (Am) (PHI) 71 69 67, Juvic Pagunsan (PHI) 68 72 67, Atthaphon Prathummanee (THA) 66 70 71
208 – Ramil Bisera (PHI) 70 69 69, Artemio Murakami PHI 70 66 72
209 – Mars Pucay (PHI) 69 71 69
210 – Nicholas Fung (MAS) 70 70 70
211 – Guido Van Der Valk (NED) 72 72 67, Ronnachai Jamnong (THA) 72 68 71, Omar Dungca (PHI) 73 66 72

Source: News Agencies