Atiruj, nicknamed the Dragon, notched seven birdies in his bogey-free scorecard to reach the 54-hole mark at 15-under-par 201 at the Saujana Golf and Country Club.

Local star Amir impressed with a 68 to give himself another shot at chasing for a maiden ADT victory after coming close with a runner-up finish in Indonesia last year.

Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarit settled a further shot back in third following a 69 while compatriot Nirun Sae-ueng takes fourth place on 207.

Shinichi Mizuno of Japan, Suttijet Kooratanapisan of Thailand and Matt Killen of England, who shared the third-round lead with Atiruj, faded away after mustering matching 72s to trail by six shots in fifth position.

“I continued to hit it very well especially my approach shots. I managed to find the green 16 time today and all my seven birdies were within 15 feet,” said the 19-year-old Atiruj.

“If I keep playing the way I did today, I believe the victory is within my reach. My goal is to shoot a three-under and hopefully that will be good enough to earn me my breakthrough on the ADT.

“If I can do that, it will be such a good achievement considering I have just turned pro last year. This will stand me in good stead ahead of the Asian Tour Q-School next year where I hope to earn my card,” added the young Thai.

Leading third round scores:

201 – Atiruj Winaicharoenchai 66 70 65

205 – Amir Nazrin 68 69 68206 – Sarit Suwannarut 68 69 69

207 – Nirun Sae-Ueng 72 66 69

208 – Shinichi Mizuno 66 70 72, Suttijet Kooratanapisan 68 68 72, Matt Killen 68 68 72

209 – Gavin Green 71 68 70, Seung Park 71 68 70

210 – Ryuichi Oiwa 69 68 73

211 – Joshua Andrew Wirawan 72 71 68, Ben Leong 74 68 69, Quincy Quek 70 69 72, Wolmer Murillo 69 69 73, Kwanchai Tannin 67 71 73

212 – Oscar Zetterwall 72 71 69, Choo Tze Huang 67 77 68

213 – Adam Blyth 71 72 70

Suttijet, a one-time Asian Development Tour (ADT) winner, kept his hopes of winning his first title of the season alive when he traded seven birdies against three bogeys at the Saujana Golf and Country Club.

Joint first round leaders Mizuno, the defending champion and Atiruj both maintained their position atop the leaderboard following matching 70s to share the lead with Killen (68) on an eight-under-par 136 total.

Local hopeful Amir Nazrin (69) was among the three players tied in fourth-place, just one shot adrift. Maybank ambassador Gavin Green, too, gave the home fans something to cheer about as he bounced back with an improved 68 to move to three-way tie for ninth on 139.

The second round of the US$54,000 tournament, which is the second last stop of the 2019 ADT schedule, was halted at 5.34pm local time due to lightning threat. A total of 28 players will return to complete their second round at 7.30am on Friday.

Suttijet is hoping to translate his recent good form into a second victory on the ADT. His sole triumph was at the PGM Palm Resort Championship in 2016.

Prior to this week, Suttijet had performed well in his last two Asian Tour starts, finishing tied 23rd at the Panasonic Open India and tied 12th at the Sabah Masters.

“I love playing in Malaysia. It feels like playing back home, the grass and green is very similar to the golf courses in Thailand.

“It was also in Malaysia three years that I earned my breakthrough on the ADT. Hopefully I’ll be able to end my title drought here too,” said Suttijet.

Teeing off from the 10th hole, Suttijet made a modest start when he mixed three birdies with two bogeys to turn in 35.

He then stepped up his game, firing four birdies in the next eight holes before a closing bogey prevented him from securing an outright lead.

“I hit my approach shots very well today and gave myself lots of birdie chances which I converted. The course is narrow, hitting a good first shot is equally crucial too.

“The best birdie I had was at the hole 18. My third shot went past the green a little bit, but I made a good chip in there.

“As for the last hole, I didn’t hit it as straight as I wanted before the second shot landed in the bunker. I actually recovered well with my shot rolled quite close to the hole, but I missed the putt.

“But that’s no big deal. There’s still two days left,” he said.

The leading seven players on the ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn playing rights on the premier Asian Tour for the 2019 season.

Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points are offered for all ADT events. The winner will earn a total of six OWGR points while the top-six players and ties earn points on a sliding scale.

Leading second round scores:

136 – Matt Killen (ENG) 68-68, Atiruj Winaicharoenchai (THA) 66-70, Suttijet Kooratanapisan (THA) 68-68, Shinichi Mizuno (JPN) 66-70

137 – Sarit Suwannarut (THA) 68-69, Amir Nazrin (MAS) 68-69, Ryuichi Oiwa (JPN) 69-68

138 – Kwanchai Tannin (THA) 67-71

139 – Quincy Quek (SGP) 70-69, Seung Park (KOR) 71-68, Gavin Green (MAS) 71-68

140 – Brandon Lau (MAS) 70-70

141 – Hayato Yoshida (JPN) 69-72, Josh Salah (USA) 73-68, Khor Kheng Hwai (MAS) 72-69

The leading duo secured a one-shot advantage over Pakistan’s Hamza Amin, Choo Tze Huang of Singapore and Kwanchai Tannin of Thailand at the US$54,000 event, which is the penultimate leg of the 2019 Asian Development Tour (ADT) schedule this season.

Play at the Saujana Golf and Country Club was suspended at 5.15pm local time due to lightning threats before being abandoned for the day an hour later . A total of 38 players will resume their rounds at 7.30am local time on Thursday morning with the second round scheduled to commence at 7.30am as originally planned.

Amir Nazrin was the best local performer of the day following a 68, while Malaysia’s number one and Maybank ambassador Gavin Green settled five shots off the pace after carding a 71.

Mizuno came out from the 10th tee with all guns blazing as he fired an eagle on the par-four 11th before gaining three more shots through birdies on the 13th, 17th and 18th to turn in 31.

He traded two more birdies against a lone bogey on his return journey.

“I was kind of nervous returning as the defending champion, but the early eagle on the 11th, my second hole, really got my round going.

“I hit the driver and for the second shot, it was about 145 yards and I hit a nine-iron. It just landed before the pin and went in on the second bounce.

“For the bogey (on the seventh), it was a tough situation. I hit the tee shot which was quite decent but it found a bunker. I kind of accepted that bogey and managed to bounce back with a birdie on the next hole, so it didn’t really affect me,” said Mizuno.

Mizuno is hoping to take advantage of the good start as he seeks to successfully defend a title for the first time in his career.

“It would be nice if I can do it (retaining a title). Even looking back to my junior days, I’ve won tournaments but I have never defended it.

“Obviously, there’s still many rounds left to be played but shooting a 66 is a nice way to start off the week. I intend to continue playing aggressive and keep the birdies coming,” added Mizuno.

Atiruj, 19, was the other player to steal the limelight on the opening day by notching seven birdies, including five in his last six holes.

His only blemish was a double bogey on par-four 14th.

“I have got a lot of confidence playing at Saujana, having captured the Saujana Amateur Championship back in 2016.

“My iron shot and putting made the difference today. Five of my birdies were inside 10 feet, one through chip-in and another from two putts on the par-five.

“I’m very pleased with my round. I’m looking to do well this week I’m preparing for the Asian Tour Q-School next year,” said Atiruj, who turned professional last year.

Leading first round scores:

66 – Shinichi Mizuno (JPN), Atiruj Winaicharoenchai (THA)

67 – Hamza Amin (PAK), Choo Tze Huang (SGP), Kwanchai Tannin (THA)

68 – Amir Nazrin (MAS), Erwan Vieilledent (FRA), Matt Killen (ENG), Sarit Suwannarut (THA), Suttijet Kooratanapisan (THA)

69 – Sam Gillis (USA), Ryuichi Oiwa (JPN), Aman Raj (IND), Nattawat Suvajanakorn (THA), Wolver Murillo (VEN), Amarin Kraivixien (THA), Justin De Los Santos (PHI), Hayato Yoshida (JPN)

Bangkok Bank director and executive VP Thaweelap Rittapirom said the theme this year was “Ride for All” and aimed promote healthy lifestyle activities.

“Cycling is fast becoming one of the favourite sports in Thailand. With entry classes for all ability levels, including individual and team time trials as well as fun rides, the event has enabled customers and the public to create memorable experiences on closed cycling roads around Siam Country Club. With our commitment to being “Your Trusted Partner” for customers and the society at large, we are delighted to hold yet another successful Bangkok Bank CycleFest this year to connect and bring us closer to more than 3,000 Thai and international cyclists,” said Thaweelap.

The event was not only about fun or promoting an active lifestyle, but also about giving back to society. Together with members of the public, Bangkok Bank CycleFest 2019 raised funds for its official charity partner Siriraj Foundation, which assists with the treatment and care of underprivileged patients at Siriraj Hospital. Every baht raised from entry fees for the Family Ride category will be donated to the Siriraj Foundation. Individual riders were also given the opportunity to offer a contribution of their own, raising a total of Bt480,000 for this noble cause.

The event, which has been held for three consecutive years, featured seven different ride options ranging from 12km to 62km circuits, offering a unique riding experience for cyclists of all ages, abilities and experience levels. Races included timed rides for individuals who wish to be initiated into an elite riders category; a challenging off-road ride, which was added last year as the ideal choice for those who love adventure riding; team time trials in which teams of cyclists raced against the clock; and a non-competitive “family ride” for those who wanted to join a premier cycling event without the stress of competition.

In between race events, participants enjoyed quality time with family and friends at the Festival Village. A number of recreational activities and outlets were available for cyclists and spectators to enjoy, including bicycle equipment shops, food and drink stalls, music stages, a free BMX Pump Track zone, gift giveaways and fun interactive games.

“I’m happy to join and support this super cycling festival event here in Thailand. The spirit of camaraderie is reflected beautifully in the slogan of the Bangkok Bank CycleFest 2019 – ‘Ride for All’. This event encourages cyclists of all levels to enter the tournament to compete and also to join in activities that are non-competitive. I strongly believe cycling is a sport that truly promotes equality. Whether you are young or old, rich or poor, and no matter what your nationality is, when you’re cycling, everyone is a friend as you’re all travelling along the sam Ivan Basso said e route, making it easy to talk to others freely, it’s a sport that really brings people together,” Basso said after the event.

This year also saw Thai Paralympic athletes joining the competition for the first time. One of the athletes was Phuyin Khamnuan, the 44-year-old national Thai Paralympic athlete who won gold at the SMACK Swedish Paracycling Cup 2018. “We are grateful to the organizers for giving us the opportunity to compete in this race. Bangkok Bank CycleFest is one of the few bike races that can see the importance of Paralympic athletes and this made us feel honored and welcomed and we would all like to thank everyone involved once again for this great opportunity to compete in this competition,” he said.

Speaking of the preparations for the 2020 Asean Para Games in the Philippines, which take place at the beginning of next year, Phuyin said: “This year we are only competing in one category, and we’ve trained hard all for an event we have previously been champions of. We are confident that our efforts and commitment will see our athletes get on the podium. For the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, the Thai national team is currently ranked number one in the world and we will do our best to maintain that ranking.

Winnie Heng of IMG Services (Thailand) and a promoter of the race, said: “We would like to thank Bangkok Bank and all of our partners who supported us in bringing Bangkok Bank CycleFest to life for all our cyclists in 2019. Offering the perfect combination of competition, inclusivity, fun and entertainment, this event brings together thousands of cyclists of all ages and abilities to celebrate their passion for the sport and inspire a healthy lifestyle.”

A 25-foot birdie putt to win the tournament. A 25-foot birdie putt to win $1.5 million, the largest single prize in the history of women’s golf.

There was no hesitation in her stroke. Before the ball got to the hole, Kim had her putter raised to the sky. And when it dropped into the left edge of the hole, she pumped her fists in victory. With that putt, Kim reached -18 and won her third title of the 2019 LPGA Tour season, a nail-biting one-stroke victory over England’s Charley Hull, who also birdied 18, and a two-stroke margin over the American duo of Danielle Kang and Nelly Korda.

“Last putt, I just tried to make two-putt because I didn’t see the leaderboard. I didn’t know that if I made a two-putt it could be go to playoff,” said Kim, who led wire to wire. “So I just try and make the right distance; made it. It’s unbelievable. I was like so emotional. Almost crying. But I try I’m not going to cry. So, yeah, I’m still unbelievable, yeah.”

With the win, Kim earned her 10th career victory and reached the winner’s circle for the third time this year, her first three-win season. She became the the fourth Korean player with at least 10 LPGA wins, joining Inbee Park (19), Se Ri Pak (25) and Jiyai Shin (11), and is the 31st player in LPGA history to cross the $8 million mark in career earnings with $8,666,676.

Hull shot back-to-back 66s on the weekend to earn solo second, her best finish of the 2019 season. She birdied 12 and 13 to pull within two strokes of the lead and then birdied the final three holes to pull into a tie for the lead. But as she kept warm on the putting green, she heard the roar from 18 when Kim made her winning putt.

“I feel pretty happy considering the first day after the first hole I was 2-over par because I started with a seven,” said Hull, who is off to her honeymoon next week after getting married on Sept. 21. “To finish 17-under, and I know just missed by one, but it was so close.”

Kang shot the round of the day on Sunday, carding a bogey-free 7-under 65 to jump into a tie for third. After making an eagle at the par-5 17th to pull one stroke behind Kim, her birdie putt at No. 18 came up two rolls short of falling. Korda, who started the day one stroke off Kim’s lead, could not keep up with the fireworks going on around her, but also birdied the final hole to tie Kang for third.

Following the TOTO Japan Classic, the CME Group Tour Championship field was set to the top 60 players in the Race to the CME Globe. Starting in 2019, the purse for the CME Group Tour Championship was elevated to $5 million. The winner received $1.5 million, the largest single prize in the history of women’s professional golf, as well as the title of Race to the CME Globe Champion.

JIN YOUNG KO CAPTURES VARE TROPHY AND OFFICIAL MONEY TITLE

Jin Young Ko captured the 2019 Official Money title with $2,773,894, after finishing tied for 11th at the CME Group Tour Championship and earning $59,613.

Ko also won the 2019 Vare Trophy by 0.346 over Hyo Joo Kim, earning her a point toward entrance into the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame. Her final scoring average of 69.052 is the second-lowest Vare Trophy-winning average behind only Annika Sorenstam’s 68.697 in in 2002. Sorenstam also returned lower scoring averages in 2004 (68.697) and 2003 (69.0167), but she did not meet the 70-round requirement to qualify for the Vare Trophy.

CHARLEY HULL CAPS 2019 WITH SEASON-BEST SHOWING

When she made the turn in the final round of the CME Group Tour Championship, Charley Hull was five shots back of the lead at 12-under overall. Needless to say, she wasn’t out of it.

Five birdies over her final seven holes gave Hull the clubhouse lead at -17 until Sei Young Kim’s heroics on the 18th green. Hull still collects a season-best result of runner-up anda  cool $480,00 paycheck.

“On 15 I looked at the leaderboard and thought I’ve got a chance here if I birdie in,” said Hull, who fired a 6-under 66 this afternoon. “Didn’t birdie 15, but birdied 16, 17, 18 and gave it my best shot. I’m pretty happy considering the first day after the first hole I was 2-over par because I started with a seven. To finish at 17-under and know I just missed by one, it was so close.”

Hull is now off to create more memories in a year where she captured seven top-20s, played an integral role in Team Europe’s victory at the Solheim Cup and got married to MMA champion Ozzie Smith.

“Going on my honeymoon on Friday, Dubai for two days then the Maldives,” Hull said. “I think the whole tournament is a great event for women’s golf and just nice to finish the year with a big event like this.”

DANIELLE KANG STORMS LEADERBOARD DURING FINAL ROUND IN NAPLES

“It’s never over until it’s over, right?”

This was Danielle Kang’s mindset heading into the final round of the CME Group Tour Championship. Seven shots back of the lead and T9 to start the day, Kang laid it all on the line to pursue the $1.5 million winner’s check. She walked off the 18th green after firing a 65, the day’s low round, to sit at -16. She birdied five holes on the front nine and eagled No. 17 to hold the clubhouse lead, one stroke behind Sei Young Kim.

“Thought process was give everything I’ve got out there and see what happens,” said Kang.

As she posted up at the clubhouse to await her fate, the television broadcast spoiled the ending. Charley Hull birdied her final three holes on a bogey-free day to finish just ahead of Kang at -17 and knock her out of contention. She walked back outside with a hint of disappointment but was still smiling and impressed with a spectacular final day.

“Honestly I started off pretty far back. I just kind of made a charge in the beginning, and I knew that I had a chance. The first few holes are tough, so as long as I shaved off a couple of shots starting off, I think I had a chance,” said Kang. “I think I did a pretty good job. My putter got a little bit cold on the back nine; it was a great eagle on 17. At the end of the day, I gave myself a lot of opportunities and I think that’s what I’m mostly proud of.”

NELLY KORDA BATTLES THROUGH ROLLERCOASTER ROUND FOR TOP THREE FINISH

Nelly Korda started the last day of the CME Group Tour Championship in the final pairing alongside Sei Young Kim and Caroline Masson, chasing down Kim’s one-stroke lead. By the end of the round, Korda pushed through three bogeys to shoot a 71 and finished T3 at -16, her third third-place finish of the season.

“I was hitting it really bad today actually, especially with my driver. I think I had three penalty strokes. I hit it twice in the water, and then I took an unplayable on one of the other holes,” said Korda. “It’s unfortunate. I mean, I think the one on the par-5 on the back nine I was just so frustrated there already. I mean, I kind of kept my head in it. I didn’t get over par even though I was really struggling. I kept trying to be aggressive. Sometimes I did make a mistake because I was too aggressive.”

The Rolex Rankings No. 3 started on a consistent pace, with a birdie and seven pars through her first eight holes. On No. 9, a shot into the water forced her first penalty of the day. After recovering with a birdie on No. 10, Korda’s tee shot on No. 11 landed left of the fairway in the pine-straw against the root of a bush. She took an unplayable and finished the hole with a bogey, but dispelled any frustrations with a birdie later at No. 13.

After another bogey on No. 14, she had one shot to finish under-par on the day at No. 18 – a shot that capped off a turbulent day. “To make a long birdie on the last hole to cap off my season felt really good,” said Korda.

She said she was motived through most of the round by her caddie Jason McDede, who is engaged to Masson. Despite a tough last day of the season, Korda said she was already looking ahead to her future on the LPGA Tour.

“I’m really happy with it definitely. I checked a couple things off of my goals,” said Korda. “But now it’s time to get ready for 2020 season. I’m going to rest for a couple days, maybe two weeks, and get together with my team. Hopefully I can build from this season going into the next.”

CME GROUP CARES CHALLENGE – SCORE 1 FOR ST. JUDE

The CME Group Cares Challenge is a season-long charitable giving program that turns aces into donations. CME Group donated $20,000 for each hole-in-one made on the LPGA Tour in 2019, with a minimum guaranteed donation of $500,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

The 2019 LPGA Tour season saw 31 aces from 32 different players, for a total of $620,000 donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This more than covers the average cost of $425,000 needed to treat a pediatric cancer patient.

PLAYER NOTES

Rolex Rankings No. 11 Sei Young Kim (65-67-68-70)

• She hit 14 of 14 fairways and 13 of 18 greens, with 29 putts
• Kim is in her fifth season on the LPGA Tour; coming into the week, she had nine career victories, most recently at the 2019 Marathon Classic presented by Dana
• This is Kim’s 25th event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; coming into the week, she had nine top-10 finishes, including victories at the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship and the Marathon Classic presented by Dana
• She is competing in her fifth CME Group Tour Championship; her best finish is T10 in 2018

The 30-year-old Pavit, who suffered a playoff defeat at the Thailand Open two weeks ago, redeemed himself by emerging victorious in a four-way finish against Phachara, Gleeson and Aman Raj of India at the Sutera Harbour Golf and Country Club.

Pavit marked his week’s best efforts with a closing six-under-par 65 to force extra time with Phachara (67), Gleeson (68) and Raj (63) after the quartet ended regulation play with matching totals of 13-under-par 271s at the US$300,000 full-field Asian Tour event.

The first playoff hole, held on the par-four 18, saw Raj bow out with a bogey while the others made par. The remaining trio found the centre fairway on the second extra hole but their second shots were all short of the green.

It was Pavit who sealed the deal with his 15-yard chip-in birdie from the fringe, while Phachara and Gleeson missed their chips to settle for par.

Pavit’s birdie on the 74th hole is only the second one recorded in the final round of the Sabah Masters.

“It’s incredible. I really didn’t expect this,” said Pavit, who lifted up his maiden Tour win in Macau three years ago. “I didn’t even expect to get into a playoff. I finished my round early and had already changed out of my golf attire and was getting ready to go to the airport! Had to change back again when I was told I was in the playoff. It’s really incredible!

“But this is golf. You never know what will happen until the last minute. I came close to winning the Thailand Open two weeks ago. I felt more pressure that week since it’s my national open. But this week I was more relaxed and I think that helped me a lot,” added Pavit, a six-time champion on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), where he was crowned the Order of Merit champion in 2014.

He shares the record of the most wins on the ADT with Chan Shih-chang of Taipei.

“Since my first win in Macao I’ve had some setbacks, battling a wrist injury. But it’s all in the past now. In golf, you just got to keep trying. You don’t know when it will come, so you need to keep trying,” said the Thai, who marked his week’s lowest round with a closing 65.

Starting the final round with a three-shot deficit, Pavit dropped a shot on his third hole, but bounced back brilliantly with seven birdies on his way home to force the playoff.

Phachara marked his fourth top-10 result this season with his tied second-place finish at the Sabah Masters.

Twenty-year-old Phachara had led the first two rounds, but a double-bogey on the last hole in the third saw him slip out of the lead for the first time this week.

The young Thai, however, fought back brilliantly in the final round with four straight birdies from the 11th hole to secure his berth in the playoff.

“I worked really hard today because I had a bad start on the front nine and then made good to come back with four birdies in a row,” said Phachara, still chasing his maiden Tour crown. “I tried to make a couple more birdies more but couldn’t. But it’s okay – I’m happy in this position right now.

“This morning I was just thinking maybe, like for three rounds, just play my game. This afternoon the rain came and I had to play 18.

“Still a good finish. I am happy for my friend Pavit. He deserves the win,” added the rising star, who came into prominence when he won the 2015 PGM CCM Rahman Putra Championship to become the youngest ADT winner at the age of 15.

Finishing first to claim his third LPT championship, Wild crossed the finish line at 02:21:07, less than two minutes before his toughest contender, Michael Raelert of Germany, another three-time LPT winner. In third place was Krzysztof Hadas of Poland, with a time of 02:26:20.

Simmonds clocked 02:33:14 to hoist her first LPT title, followed by Emma Pallant of Britain at 02:39:31 and Australia’s Dimity Lee-Duke at 02:46:12.

The Phuket crowd cheered on a field of more than 1,000 triathletes from 51 countries as they tackled the 1.8-kilometre swim, 50km bike ride and 12km run with US$20,000 up for grabs.

There was also a short-distance “25 For 25 Sprint”.

The transition area was at Laguna Grove in the heart of the Laguna Phuket.

Participants plunged into the Andaman Sea from the resort’s beachfront under comfortable with mild weather and small waves. The cycling and running became challenging once the Phuket heat kicked in.

“It felt amazing today,” said Wild. “LPT is like home away from home for me. I feel very good here with all the people and great memories from the past, especially winning for the third time after a good performance. I’m really happy and hope to come back again next year!”

Wild said he started with a good swim knowing that Raelert would try to open a gap between him and the rest of the field.

“I managed to keep in contact with him and we both pushed really hard at the beginning of the bike, so we were able to get away and benefit from leading the field from then on. I was able to make a gap and secure the lead in the first 2-3km of the run, so it helped when I reached the last few kilometres, which are always really tough to get through in the heat.”

Simmonds said she felt “a bit overwhelmed” by her triumph.

“There was some strong competition out there today, so I decided to push hard in the very beginning and the strategy paid off. I had a bit of a gap in the run, so it was just the challenge of finishing in the heat. It was amazing to come back to LPT and finish the year off with a good race. The crowd were amazing out there supporting us, and all the volunteers were absolutely incredible, so thank you!”

Wowing the Thai crowd were the defending champions. Jaray Jearanai in the men’s field was once again the first Thai to finish, with 02:39:38, claiming his ninth consecutive LPT win since 2011.

In the women’s field, defending her title as top Thai female, was Nichakarn Ruttanaporn, in 03:17:06. It was her fourth consecutive victory.

Thai celebrity athlete Anorma “Meiji” Cook finished her first LPT in 04:15:20.

In the 25 For 25 Sprint – swim 0.5km, bike 18.5km and run 6km, Oliver Trott with 01:02:24 and Rebecca Kirvan-Rodger with 01:18:46 finished first in men’s and women’s fields.

The LPT Charity Fun Run on Saturday had 1,100 runners in the 2km Kids, 5km and 10km categories raising funds for the Children First Fund in support of seven orphanages in Phuket and the Kao Kon La Kao Foundation, which helps hospitals in Thailand.

Southeast Asia’s longest-standing triathlon race also features “25 For 25 Sprint” (0.5km swim, 18.5km bike and 6km run) on the same day.

LPT Charity Fun Run is being staged in the late afternoon on Saturday (November 23) with an aim to raise funds for Children First Fund to support seven orphanages in Phuket as well as the Kao Kon La Kao Foundation to help hospitals in Thailand.

A pre-race press conference was held on Saturday at the race’s transition area in Laguna Grove, Laguna Phuket, attended by Phuket Governor Tavipatana Phakaphong

Elite pro athletes Michael Raelert (Germany), Ruedi Wild (Switzerland), Massimo Cigana (Italy), Imogen Simmonds (Switzerland), Emma Pallant (United Kingdom) and Australian legend Belinda Granger will compete for the US$20,000 prize purse.

Thai athletes to watch on Sunday include Jaray Jearanai who will defend his status as Thai champion — since 2011 — and defending female champion Nichakarn Ruttanaporn.

Tavipatana said, “I’d like to congratulate Laguna Phuket Triathlon for the 26th year of success. The race has helped promote Phuket as the world’s leading sport tourism destination. It is with delight that the race showcases food and fruit from Phuket tourism communities to an international audience. This year, we are also focusing on reducing waste at the race. All are part of Phuket’s strategic policies in sustainable development.”

Anthony Lohsaid said, “This year, we will see 2,200 athletes, representing 51 nationalities, participating in the individual, team relay and sprint categories on Sunday as well as the Charity Fun Run on Saturday. Once again our sprint triathlon category was sold out. Later this afternoon, more than 1,100 runners will help raise funds for Children First Fund through the LPT Charity Fun Run 2km, 5km and 10km categories to support seven orphanages in Phuket, housing more than 400 underprivileged children.”

“I am glad to announce that this year Laguna Phuket Triathlon has been placed in the top 10 in the Best International Triathlon Category of the Challenge Awards 2019, presented by Runner’s World Magazine and Let’s Do This (UK). I’d like to share the pride with Phuket government, our co-host, and everyone who has kindly supported us including all the athletes and spectators,” he concluded.

The conference included an appearance by Ekkarat Phanthip, representative of “Kao Kon La Kao Foundation”, Laguna Phuket Triathlon 2019’s charity partner.

As in previous years, athletes and participants in Laguna Phuket Triathlon during the race weekend are encouraged to donate to Laguna Phuket Foundation for its ongoing local charitable causes such as “Fully Booked!” Mobile Learning Centre, Community Learning Centre, Laguna Phuket Kindergarten, Children First Fund, social enterprise restaurant “Seedlings Phuket” and many more.

Play was first suspended at 1.58pm local time due to threat of lightning but the torrential downpour never let up at the Sutera Harbour Golf and Country Club, causing officials to abandon play for the day as a resumption looked unlikely after the course received nearly 158mm of rain.

“I got off to a great start today actually. I had two tap-in birdies on the first two holes. I slowed down a bit after that but recovered with another birdie on the seventh to get to 11-under. I told myself to just play my own game and not think too much out there,” said the young gun, looking for his maiden win on the Asian Tour.

“The game is feeling good. I just need to keep doing what I have been doing and not think about the win. It’s unfortunate that the weather did not hold up and we did not manage to finish today. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow but I will do my best,” the man from Hat Yai said.

The third round of the US$300,000 event is set to resume at 7am on Sunday with the fourth and final round scheduled to start at 8.40am with the same groupings as round three. All 69 players who made the halfway cut have yet to complete the third round.

The weather on Sunday, however, will determine if there will be a Monday finish for the first edition of the Sabah Masters.

A decision will be made for the tournament to spill into Monday if the final group, featuring Phachara, Dongha Lee and Sungho Lee, can manage to complete 13 holes of the final round on Sunday.

Should the final group fail to get in 13 holes on Sunday, the fourth round will be cancelled and the tournament results will be based on 54-hole scores.

The Sabah Masters, supported by Tourism Malaysia which aims to boost tourism in Sabah, is the ninth full-field event on the 2019 Asian Tour schedule.