RUPERT Zaragosa birdied the first three holes at the back but scrambled to finish with a two-under 70 as he fell way behind two-day leader Tianlang Guan of China, who outgunned Thai Prin Sirisommai in a day of torrid scoring the Asian Amateur Championship at the Amata Spring Country Club in Thailand yesterday.
The pint-sized Zaragosa, who faltered at the finish for a 74 in the first round, held his ground this time, birdieing No. 6 after back-to-back bogeys from No. 3, preserving a two-under card and a 36-hole haul of 144.
Still, he improved to joint 21st even as Guan bucked Sirisommai record 29 at the front with a pair of 32s for a 64 to pad his lead to five at 130 with two rounds left in the 72-hole championship.
The winner will get a 2013 Masters invite to Augusta National, while the champion and runners-up will gain spots in International Final Qualifying for The Open Championship.
Sirisommai hit an eagle at the par-5 No. 2 to spark a birdie-binge of five straight from No. 3.