Canadian Richard T. Lee’s quest for his first win on the Asian Tour in seven years gained momentum today when he opened up a six-stroke lead at the BNI Indonesian Masters.
Lee, who has led the tournament since day one, carded a third-round six-under-par 66 to move to 21-under here at Royale Jakarta Golf Club.
Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig is in sole possession of second, following a 65, while Bubba Watson from the United States is one stroke further back, after shooting the same score.
Watson aced the par-three 11th with a wedge before Phachara Khongwatmai from Thailand, playing in the group ahead, holed his wedge on the same hole moments later.
Watson aced the par-three 11th with a wedge before Phachara Khongwatmai from Thailand, playing in the group ahead, holed his wedge on the same hole moments later.
After yesterday’s poor finish, when he made a bogey and a double on the last two to cut his lead from six to three, Lee clearly used that as motivation today and bounced back with a bogey free round sprinkled with six birdies. He also made brilliant up and downs for pars on the 15th and 16th to stay in control.
He was also not distracted when play was stopped at 1.01pm local time because of lightning and rain when he was on the 15th. Play resumed at 3.25pm.
“It was a very clean scorecard today,” said Lee.
“During the break I just had a few talks with my friends in Indonesia and they calmed me down pretty well, so I made a few more birdies out there. It looks to be pretty good tomorrow for another good round.”
He opened with a birdie today after stiffing his second shot.
He added: “Oh, I felt kind of, I mean you go bogey and then double on the last two holes [yesterday], you just don't feel very good. But coming out to the range today, I felt like I was hitting it as well as how I was hitting it in the first round. So, yeah, hitting it that close and almost going in, it just felt great.”
Since his most recent win, the 2017 Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea, the Canadian has been in contention on many occasions, including seven top three finishes – including tying for second in last week’s International Series Thailand.
Also, just before the global pandemic stopped play on Tour for nearly two years he also lost in a sudden-death play-off at the Sarawak Championship in 2019.
Baig continues to play the best golf of his career. The big-hitting Pakistani, currently in second place on the Asian Development Tour Order of Merit with two wins this year, was in second place going into the final round of the International Series Thailand last Sunday. He tied for 31st and will be looking to improve on that tomorrow.
He said: “I'm just trying to keep doing what I am doing right now. I think my putter is very hot this week, so let's see tomorrow.”
He was also bogey free today, revealing he can “reach all the par fives in two here.”
Watson will try and claim his first title in six years tomorrow, off the back of a brilliant round today featuring that ace and five birdies.
“It was a perfect pitching wedge,” said Watson after his ace.
“We couldn't see it. I didn't believe them [when people said it was in the hole], you know, because you didn't really hear like, a roar that kept going, you know, like, that's a big deal, right? A hole in one. So, I just didn't believe them, but they gave me high fives, and I still didn't believe it until I got the ball out of the hole.”
Each hole in one this week will see a house donated to a local family in need through the Habitat Humanity Indonesia charity. Watson and Phachara’s aces will make two families very happy soon, while the American very kindly said he would also personally donate another house.
Added the 45-year-old: “The game of golf has helped tremendously around the world through all the charities that golf has brought to the table, so to be a part of that, it's very special. It's an honour. There'll be a couple families that will be helped out.”
American John Catlin (68), Kieran Vincent (69) from Zimbabwe, and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond (71) are tied for fourth eight behind Lee.
The International Series is the most prized pathway in golf. It consists of 10 elite tournaments sanctioned by the Asian Tour and offers the year-long Rankings leader promotion to the LIV Golf League
