Teenage Thai finds form as storms hit

Malaysian Open:Thai teenager Chinarat Phadungsil stole the limelight at the storm-interrupted Maybank Malaysian Open by taking a two-stroke lead with a five-under-par 67 yesterday and when the players were called off the course at 4.50pm local time, Phadungsil led the way on seven-under-par 137.

His performance put him on course to make history as victory this weekend would see him become the youngest ever winner on the European Tour.

At 18 years and 103 days on Sunday, he would surpass the long-standing record of Dale Hayes, who won the Spanish Open in 1971 at the age of 18 years and 290 days.

It would make for a rare double for the youngster, as he is already the youngest ever winner on the Asian Tour following his success in the 2005 Double A International Open in Bangkok.

With half of the field yet to finish their second round at the Saujana Golf and Country Club due to a thunderstorm, it may be too early yet for Phadungsil to start thinking of the € 165,895 winner's cheque.

However, he showed the mettle of a veteran as he carded seven birdies, including a 20-footer at the fourth, to move two clear of Englishmen Simon Dyson and Marcus Higley and Finland's Marko Ilonen.

"I hit it so good today," said the 2005 World Junior championship winner. All my shots in the bag worked out quite nicely except for my putter which was average.

"However, most of my birdies were from very close range and I nearly had a hole in one on the fifth as well, when my six iron stopped just next to the pin."

Coping well with the sweltering conditions at Saujana could be the key to success for Phadungsil this week.

"It was very hot and humid out there and I'm drinking lots of water on every hole," he said. "I think that's why the Asian players have always done well at Saujana because the Europeans struggle a bit in the heat."

The Malaysian Open has already proven a happy hunting ground for Phadungsil.

"I have good memories of playing in the Maybank Malaysian Open as it was here last year that I made my first cut as a professional. I also played in Saujana in an amateur event and finished third, but I still don't really enjoy myself on this course as it's tough."

Dyson could have had a share of the overnight lead but double bogeyed his penultimate hole to drop to five under. However, the 29-year-old from York was more disappointed with his putting.

"I played great the front nine but on the second nine nothing went for me. I couldn't hole a putt," said the 2000 Asian PGA Tour Order of Merit winner.

"I am pleased with the way I have played these past two days. I am just struggling to read the greens. When there was some dew on them this morning they were rolling nice and that's why I shot 30. But when the dew went I was struggling to hole them."

Higley, a Challenge Tour graduate, was delighted with his round of 67 that included seven birdies.

"I played pretty good yesterday, but today, I hit the irons closer and holed a few putts," said the 32-year-old from Yeovil, who gained his card on the main tour after finishing 10th on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit last year.

"It's very hot out there, possibly the hottest I've played in. You just sweat all the time. I played in Panama a few years ago, but this is probably worse.

"I've never played here before but I've played in South America a bit on the Challenge Tour and the grasses are similar to here. "

Damien McGrane is sure to qualify for the final two rounds after a 73 left him on one-under-par 143.

With 77 players yet to finish their round, the projected cut is likely to be two over par.

Darren Clarke is right on the projected cut mark after a double bogey at his final hole dropped him to two over 146 after a 72, while Lee Westwood will have to sweat it out on this morning as he was two over with two holes to play.

However, the other three Irish players, Peter Lawrie, Graeme McDowell and Gary Murphy failed to make the cut after finishing on 150.

Murphy shot a second 75, Lawrie a 76 to go with his first round 74 and McDowell a disappointing 78 after opening with a 72.