JAMES BYRNE HAS ADVENTUROUS 75

                           

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

RICHARDSON OPENS UP FIVE-SHOT LEAD AT KUALA LUMPUR

 

Kuala Lumpur: England’s Peter Richard streaked five-shots clear after a masterful five-under-par 66 in the third round of the PGM MIDF KLGCC Championship at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club today.

The 30-year-old Richardson put himself in a strong position to win the US$80,000 season-ending Asian Development Tour tournament  with local hope Rizal Amin and American Brett Munson sharing second place following rounds of 70 and 68 respectively.

Chinese Taipei’s Chan Tse-peng and R. Nachimuthu of Malaysia were a further stroke back, six shots behind the leader.
James Byrne from Banchory but now based in Thailand had an adventurous 75 for a three-round tally of 221 and a share of 41st place.
Byrne had six birdies but on the debit side he had one triple bogey, two double bogeys and three bogeys.

Overnight leader Richardson, chasing a second victory on the ADT, birdied four of his opening six holes before adding a birdie on 14 to put some daylight between him and the chasing pack. With his putter working like a charm, he holed 12-foot putts for vital par saves over the closing two holes to ensure a healthy cushion into the final round with his three-day score of 10-under-par 203.

“Yesterday I didn’t hole anything and today was one of those days where I holed a few,” said a delighted Richardson, who currently lies in 11^th place on the ADT Order of Merit.

“I hit it close and made the putts which is important. I got off to a fast start, three under through four and apart from 17 and 18, 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.”

A win could potentially get Richardson up to sixth place on the rankings which is one-rung outside automatic promotion onto 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.

He warned his rivals that he intends to keep his foot on the pedal tomorrow. “I just want to keep doing the same. I thought if I could shoot in the 60s, I’d build a lead. Just try to get off to a fast start again and see what happens. When I’ve been in the lead in small events back home, I’m normally pretty good leading from the front,” said Richardson.

Rizal shot three birdies against two bogeys and marveled at Richardson’s hot putting. “Everything that he looked at pretty much went in,” said the Malaysian. “He had two big saves on 17 and 18. He’s playing pretty good, hitting the ball good and putting solid. A lot of work for us tomorrow.”

Munson, fifth on the Order of Merit, stayed on track to earn an Asian Tour card with a fine 68 that put him within touching reach of Richardson. He penciled down five birdies against a lone bogey.

“Tee to green, I was pretty solid and I took advantage of most of the par fives but I was a bit sloppy with my putting,” said the 28-year-old. “I didn’t convert some putts but I did hit it better. I just have to go out there and see what happens. I think I have a low one in me out there, so I just have to convert the chances that I get. You can’t control what the other guys can do, just what I can do.”

 

Leading Third Round Scores
Par 213 (3x71)

203: Peter RICHARDSON (ENG) 66-71-66

208: Brett MUNSON (USA) 71-69-68, Rizal AMIN (MAS) 68-70-70

209: CHANG Tse-peng (Tpe) 70-70-69, R. Nachimuthu (MAS) 73-66-70

210: Mitsuhiko HASHIZUME (JPN) 67-74-69

211: Nakarintra RATANAKUL (THA) 67-73-71, Lindsay RENOLDS (CAN) 70-69-72

213: Airil Rizman ZAHARI (MAS) 68-73-72, Roberto GALLETTI (USA) 70-70-73

214: Michael MOORE  (AUS) 73-70-71, Piya SWANGARUNPORN (THA) 73-69-72, Kemarol BAHARIN (MAS) 72-70-72, Kenneth DE SILVA (MAS) 72-70-72

SELECTED SCORE
221 James Byrne (Sco) 76 70 76 (T41)