Close fights on the cards
Men's and women's individual race set for an exciting finish at Serapong
He was leading the SEA Games field with four holes to play when he received a warning for slow play.
That seemed to derail Singapore golfer Marc Ong as he went on to bogey the 15th and 16th holes at Sentosa Golf Club's tough Serapong Course yesterday.
The 20-year-old finished with a one-over 73 for a three-day total of 216, leaving him in second place in the battle for men's individual honours.
Thailand's Sarit Suwannarut carded a 71 to sit atop the leaderboard by one stroke heading into the final round today.
"I was a bit behind on some rulings on the earlier holes," said Ong, who finished as the joint-leader at the end of the second round on Wednesday with Thailand's Natipong Srithong - the two are joint-second heading into the final 18 holes.
"When I received the warning, I had to rush through the last few holes, and I lost my focus a little."
Singapore enter today's final round with three golfers in contention for individual gold.
Jonathan Woo is three behind the leader in fifth spot and Johnson Poh is sixth (219 total) .
Thailand's Tawan Phongphun, who led after the first round, is fourth with a three-day total of 217 and the winner should come from either Thailand or the host nation.
Ong fancies his chances of a gold medal in his third SEA Games outing.
"I've been playing well and it's within reach now," he said.
"One shot is nothing; it's just one hole. I'm playing with Sarit tomorrow and I need to win it myself, without hoping for him or the other chasers to slip up."
"It's really cool that Jonathan and Johnson are in contention as well. If we shoot low (today), we stand a really good chance," he added.
While their chances in the individual event look strong, the Republic are too far behind in the men's team race.
The Republic's men are 11 strokes behind leaders Thailand (642), with Indonesia and the Philippines joint-third (666).
In the women's bracket, first-round leader Koh Sock Hwee slipped one place back when she posted a 74 yesterday for a two-day total of 143.
Thailand's Suthavee Chanachai carded a 69 to lead by three strokes.
" I didn't really play so good (yesterday), but at least I hung in there," said the 25-year-old Koh, Singapore's No. 1 women's amateur.
"I'm more comfortable thinking about catching up with the (leader) than simply thinking of the gold medal. Three strokes is definitely catchable."
MEN'S SCORES:
- Sarit Suwannarut (Tha) 215
- Marc Ong 216
- Natipong Srithong (Tha) 216
- Tawan Phongphun (Tha) 217
- Jonathan Woo 218
- Johnson Poh 219
WOMEN'S SCORES:
- Suthavee Chanachai (Tha) 140
- Koh Sock Hwee 143
- Harmie Constantino (Phi) 145
- Pajaree Anannarykarn (Tha) 146
- Rivani Sihotang (Ina) 147
- Benyapa Niphatsophon (Tha) 148
* Golf action tees off from 8am at the Serapong Course today.
GAMES BRIEFS
Bad day at the office for silat exponents
All four Singaporean silat athletes involved in yesterday's quarter-finals crashed to defeats at Expo Hall 2 yesterday.
Ridhwan Selamat was beaten by his Indonesian rival Nur Awaluddin 5-0 in the men's Tanding Class A (45-50kg), while Irham Mustafa Kamal was defeated by Vietnamese Duy Phuong Vo 4-1 in the men's Tanding Class B (50-55kg).
Haziq Yusli was also on the losing end when Vietnam's Nguyen Thai Linh Nguyen scored a 4-1 victory over him in the men's Tanding Class C (55-60kg).
Nurul Shafiqal Saiful then fell to Indonesia's Rewadee Damsri 4-1 in the women's Tanding Class C (55-60kg).
Dinah fails in bid to defend cycling crown
Singapore cyclist Dinah Chan had to settle for bronze after failing to retain her women's individual time trial crown at Marina Bay South yesterday.
Philippine's Marella Vania Salamat won in 44min 46.38sec, ahead of Thailand's Chanpeng Nontasin (45:32.34).
Chan (47:44.91) was among a group of cyclists down with suspected food poisoning, with the Games organisers saying yesterday that they are investigating the matter.
In the men's event, Singapore's Darren Low and Lee Shern Mun came in ninth and 10th respectively in a race comfortably won by Indonesia's Robin Manullang (53:55.41).
Thailand win golds in petanque doubles
Thailand won both the petanque men's and women's doubles titles at the Padang yesterday.
Sarawut Sriboonpeng added to his mixed doubles gold after teaming up with Thaloengkiat Phusa-at to beat Malaysia's Saiful Bahri Musmin and Mohamad Nuzul Azwan Temizi 13-0.
Phantipha Wonchuvej and Thongsri Thamakord downed Vietnam's Ngo Thi Huyen Tran and Nguyen Thi Thi 13-3 for the women's title.
Singapore failed to make it past the preliminary round in both doubles events.
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