PETALING JAYA: An early breakaway was all it took for England’s Peter Richardson to seize a commanding five-shot lead going into the final round of the PGM MIDF KLGCC Championship at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
The Englishman birdied four of his opening six holes in the third round yesterday to card a clawless five-under 66 for a three-day total of 10-under 203 on Thurdsay.
He picked up another shot at the 14th to stay five ahead of local hope Mohd Rizal Amin and American Brett Munson.
Rizal had a one-under 70 and Munson a three-under 68 for a three-da total of five-under 208.
Taiwan’s Chan Tse-peng and Malaysia’s R. Nachimuthu were a further stroke back – six shots off the pace.
“Yesterday (on Thursday), I didn’t hole anything but today (yesterday) was one of those days where I holed a few,” said Richardson.
“I hit it close and made the crucial putts. I got off to a fast start, three-under through four and, apart from the 17th and 18th, I didn’t look like I was going to drop a shot.
“I made two very good saves there and that was more pleasing than the five birdies as it kind of keeps the momentum going into tomorrow (today).”
A win in the RM250,000 event could see the 11th-ranked Richardson earn a big jump to sixth place on the Order of Merit. That’s one spot outside the automatic promotion to the Asian Tour for 2015.
Richardson could still get his Asian Tour card if any of the top-five on the ADT ranking breaks into the top-60 on the Asian Tour.
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