King’s Cup: Salvador tied for 11th; Mamat leads

KHON KAEN, Thailand—Elmer Salvador cooled off in the third round with a 2-under-par 70 and fell into a three-way tie for 11th place, five strokes behind Singapore’s Mardan Mamat, who grabbed the third-round lead with a 66 at the $500,000 King’s Cup on Saturday.

After starting the day tied for fifth with earlier rounds of 68-66, Salvador lost ground and settled for a 54-hole total of 204.

He was three strokes ahead of Filipino compatriots Antonio Lascuña (67) and Mars Pucay (68) who were tied for 26th place at 207. Miguel Tabuena was another shot back also after a 67.

Mamat, this year’s Philippine Open champion, birdied his last hole to grab the lead from Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant,  a 15-time Asian Tour winner, who shot a 65 by storming home with four birdies in his closing five holes  at the Singha Park Khon Kaen Golf Club.

Thaworn, gunning for a second Asian Tour Order of Merit title, trailed Mardan by one with his three-day total of 16-under-par 200

Thailand’s Pariya Junhasavadikul remained on course for his second Asian Tour win when he returned with a 66 to take third place while Spanish rookie Javi Colomo signed for a 65 to share fourth place with Thailand’s Arnond Vongvanij, Piya Swangarunporn and defending champion Udorn Duangdecha on 202.

Jonel Ababa (72-70), Jay Bayron (72-77) and Artemio Murakami (77-81) earlier missed the 36-hole cut. Asian Tour News