Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng birdied the 18th hole for a four-under-par 67 to take a two-stroke lead after the third round at the Dunlop Phoenix men's golf tournament today.

Going into the final hole, Prayad was tied with overnight leader Tomohiro Kondo, but the Japanese failed from two metres while the Thai calmly sank a close birdie putt.

Overall, Prayad carded five birdies against one bogey for a three-round total of eight-under-par 205, while Kondo ended with two birdies against one bogey for 207.

“Today, everything was very, very good,” said Prayad, who said he was happy that he did not round with popular Japanese teenager Ryo Ishikawa “because the gallery moves so much, it is very difficult to concentrate.”

Asked if he would win the 200-million-yen (two-million-dollar) tournament, Prayad said: “Maybe. I will just do my best.”

His only bogey came on the par-four 15th hole where he hit his second shot into a bunker after his grip slipped while he was hitting a shot.

Prayad has already won two titles on the Japan Tour, at the Diamond Cup in May and the Mizuno Open in June, this season.

American Brandt Snedeker hit a 70 to share the third place with Ishikawa and another Japanese Masaya Tomida, followed by a glut of Japanese one stroke further back.

“I got off to a rough start and was able to hang in there and play some good golf on the back nine. I bogeyed 10 but after that I played some really solid golf, had some birdie chances, missed a few short putts,” said Snedeker.

“My putter let me down tonight. I should be up there within one or two of the lead. I will have to do something special tomorrow,” he added.

Defending champion Ian Poulter of England hit the day's best of 66 to move to 212, while pre-tournament favourite Ernie Els of South Africa hit a 70 for a 215.

AFP

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