Indian Open: Pornanong Phatlum reels off 8 birdies to share second-round lead
A birdie binge in the second round helped Thai Pornanong Phatlum romp to the top of the leaderboard on Saturday, along with another contender.
Phatlum carded an impressive 65 in the second round of the Hero Women’s Indian Open to share a lead with Australian Bree Arthur.
Phatlum, who got off to a sluggish start as she carded a 72 in the first round to take the share of 16th position, ramped up her scoring campaign in the second round on Saturday, jumping to the top of the leaderboard.
On the other hand, Arthur also displayed a stunning performance on Saturday, shooting a 67. The Aussie golfer posted a 70 in the first round to take the fourth position.
With a gigantic increase in her position on the leaderboard, Phatlum has gained the upper hand over rivals and she is likely to keep the momentum going in the third round as well.
The Thai star is being considered one of the strongest contenders for the Ladies European Tour (LET) tournament, being held at the DLF Golf & Country Club, as she won the 2008 and 2009 edition.
Moreover, her vast experience on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour is also proving an added advantage for the young gun, as she has often said that it has helped her in LET events.
Starting her second round on the back nine, the LET titan carded 8 birdies and one bogey.
She parred three holes in a row and carded a bogey on the 13th. However, she increased pressure on her nearest rivals after she launched two straight birdies on the 14th and 15th hole. She once again grabbed spectators’ attention as she shot another two back-to-back birdies on the last two holes.
On the front nine, Phatlum keep her momentum going and managed to register four birdies, bringing her second-round score to a 65.
Defending champion Caroline Hedwall also boosted her position in the second round as she posted a massive 62 to jump to the third spot on the leaderboard.
Since Phatlum is a two-time winner, she is being singled out as the strongest player in Asian lineup.
“I want to be part of that force from Asia. So, winning a joint-sanctioned event by Ladies Asian Golf Tour and Ladies European Tour will justify my actions,” the LET giant had said during her pre-tournament interview.
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