The 20-year-old Sadom, who is making his first start on Tour after coming through the Qualifying School last December, marked his card with four birdies against a bogey to stay atop the leaderboard with an 18-under-par 195 total at the Kurmitola Golf Club.

Sadom’s overnight three-shot lead was reduced to two by his closest rival Rashid Khan of India, who narrowed the gap after carding a bogey-free 67, highlighted by an eagle and two birdies, to sit in second place at the US$350,000 Asian Tour full-field event.

India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu returned with the day’s best score of a 65, thanks to six birdies, including four in-a-row from the 11th hole, to trail by six shots in solo third in the tournament, which is celebrating its fifth consecutive edition on the Asian Tour this week.

Siddikur Rahman remained the highest-placed Bangladeshi after posting a flawless 68 to tie in fourth place with Australia’s Maverick Antcliff (69) on 202. Last year’s joint runner-up Jack Harrison of England settled a further shot back in sixth following a 68.

Sadom, who has already broken through on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) last month, is chasing to become the third Thai player following Thitiphun Chuayprakong (2016) and Jazz Janewattananond (2017) to win the National Open of Bangladesh.

Should he accomplish the feat on Sunday, he would also become the record fastest Qualifying School graduate to win on the Asian Tour.

“I am happy with the way I played today. I played better than I expected. This is my first Asian Tour event as a professional and as a Qualifying School graduate. But I told myself to play like how I used to play when I was an amateur and not think about prize money and all,” said the in-form Sadom.

“I remembered finishing second in a tournament here when I was an amateur four years ago. Good memories coming back here. I won’t be thinking much about tomorrow. My aim for this season is to keep my card but I will try my best tomorrow,” the promising Thai added.

The Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open 2019 welcomed a new title sponsor in the National Bank Ltd, a public limited bank in Bangladesh. The tournament has been named in honour of the father of the nation of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Scores after round 3 of the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open being played at the par 71, 6642 Yards Kurmitola GC course (am – denotes amateur):

195 – Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA) 65-62-68.

197 – Rashid Khan (IND) 66-64-67.

201 – Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND) 70-66-65.

202 – Siddikur Rahman (BAN) 66-68-68, Maverick Antcliff (AUS) 63-70-69.

203 – Jack Harrison (ENG) 68-67-68.

204 – Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 65-71-68, Akbar Hossain (BAN) 67-68-69, Berry Henson (USA) 68-67-69.

205 – Viraj Madappa (IND) 68-66-71.

206 – Karandeep Kochhar (IND) 69-67-70.

207 – Trevor Simsby (USA) 66-70-71, Settee Prakongvech (THA) 65-70-72.

208 – Wei-lun Wang (TPE) 65-72-71, Md. Sajib Ali (BAN) 66-70-72, Poom Pattaropong (THA) 67-69-72, Mikumu Horikawa (JPN) 67-67-74.

But the four-time major winner from Northern Ireland figures to be tested at Augusta National by resurgent Tiger Woods, top-ranked Dustin Johnson and second-ranked Justin Rose among others.

Third-ranked McIlroy, who turns 30 next month, has been a consistent contender all season and finally won at the Players after five top-six showings.

“If I concentrate on me, control what I can do, good golf and good attitude takes care of the rest,” McIlroy said.

“And if I go to Augusta with a similar golf game and the attitude I’ve shown over the first few weeks of the year, I think I’ll have a great chance.”

Oddsmakers like his chances too. Las Vegas Westgate superbook makes him an 8-1 favorite with Johnson next at 10-1 and Woods and Rose at 12-1.

“I feel like I’m doing the little things right,” McIlroy said. “And step by step they will add up to all that stuff that other people find important.”

Topping that list would be a Masters Green Jacket to put McIlroy among those who have won all four majors, joining Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen.

“I am motivated to make the most of what I have and to put my name among some of the greats of our game,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy had an epic Masters near-miss in 2011 when he led by four strokes entering the final round only to fire an 80 and settle for a share of 15th.

Since it became the only major he lacked, McIlroy has had to change his mental Masters approach.

“I would have said a couple of years ago, ‘I need to win a Masters. I need a Green Jacket,'” McIlroy said. “Now it’s, ‘I want to win it. And I’d love to win it. But if I don’t I’m OK.’ And I think that is the difference.

“I’ve had 10 years of learning at Augusta, some tough times. If one day I’m able to get that green jacket, all those experiences will have played a part in helping me do that.”

McIlroy was ousted from last week’s WGC Match Play by Woods, who enjoyed his best season result despite a quarter-final loss.

Woods, a 14-time major champion and four-time Masters champion, hasn’t won a major since the 2008 US Open but is in form after spinal fusion surgery to end years of back pain, winning last year’s Tour Championship.

The 43-year-old American sees Augusta National as a much greater challenge since he first won there in 1997 and not just because it’s longer.

“It’s way more challenging off the tees than it used to be,” Woods said. “Some of the strategy has changed. Every green has been redone since I was first there.”

– No top-10 Masters wins –

None of the 11 players ahead of Woods in the rankings have ever won the Masters, including McIlroy and reigning US Open and PGA champion Brooks Koepka in fourth. Rose sees one of them ending the drought this week.

“If you look at the skill sets of the guys at the top of the world rankings, Augusta really should suit most of us,” Rose said. “So I would say this year there’s probably a very good probability that one of those guys will get it done.”

Rose shared second to Jordan Spieth at the 2015 Masters and lost a playoff to Sergio Garcia in 2017.

“I’ve come close at the Masters. I’ve finished second twice. I’ve played golf capable of winning the Masters on both of those occasions. So I don’t feel like I need to do a lot different to have chances to win the Masters,” Rose said.

“Hopefully the door will open, I’ll get my break at the right time on a Sunday afternoon and hit the right shot at the right time.”

– No. 1 DJ back on form –

Top-ranked Johnson, who won the WGC Mexico title in February, has four other top-six finishes this year and enters the Masters with confidence.

“The game’s in pretty good form,” Johnson said. “Definitely need to work on the short game a lot going into Augusta. I would love to win there.”

Johnson was a huge favorite two years ago but injured his back on the eve of the tournament and withdrew.

“That was probably the best form I’ve ever been in,” Johnson said. “Now it’s definitely the closest I’ve felt to that stage of my career.”

Reigning British Open champion Francesco Molinari won at Bay Hill and was third in the WGC Match Play, giving the seventh-ranked Italian an extra boost entering Augusta.

“I feel as confident as I’ve ever been in my putting,” he said. “Augusta will be a good test and hopefully I can pass that test.”

McDonald had broken loose atop the crowded leaderboard before a bogey at the 14th, and she managed to get her nose in front again with her seventh birdie to cap a four-under par 68 at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.

Sweden’s Linnea Strom, American Lexi Thompson and South Koreans Ko Jin-young and Kim Hyo-joo were a stroke back on 69.

Former world number one Lydia Ko of New Zealand was in a group of 10 players on 70, while current world number one Park Sung-hyun headed a group of 13 on one-under 71.

Thompson, winner of the title in 2014, set an early target with her 69 that included two bogeys and five birdies — including back-to-back birdies to close the round.

“It was a little bit of an up-and-down day,” Thompson said. “I hit some great shots and then hit some poor ones off the tee. I think I should have hit a lot more fairways.

“I made some great putts, which is always a big confidence booster for me. I think overall I just could have hit it better. But still not complaining.”

Thompson may have thought her round could have been better, but not many looked like bettering it as increasing winds made the going difficult in the afternoon.

Strom said she benefitted from having former LPGA pro Sophie Gustafsson on her bag, saying it helped her stay relaxed.

“That’s the easiest way for me to get into my momentum,” said Strom, who added that Gustafsson’s advice didn’t hurt either.

“I think that our game is pretty similar,” Strom said. “She helps me believe in going for it and hitting the longer shots. That’s what I need to be able to play good and not hold back with anything.

“She knows how it is to be in a situation.”

Kim Hyo-joo, who lifted a major trophy at the 2014 Evian Championship, highlighted her round with an eagle at the par-five second, her 11th hole of the day. She had four birdies and three bogeys to claim her share of second.

“My chipping was great,” Kim said. “That’s how I was able to get a low score.”

Ko, winner of the Founders Cup in Phoenix two weeks ago, had four birdies and a bogey and said the key was not to be “greedy” on the course.

“The course is hard, so I’m thinking always, ‘Hit the fairway, also green, middle of the green,” she said. “Like two-putt is fine. I’m good.”

The 20-year-old Thai, who came through the 2019 Asian Tour Qualifying School last December, fired an eagle and eight birdies against a bogey to grab a three-shot lead with his 15-under-par 127 total at the highly-rated Kurmitola Golf Club.

Sadom’s commendable round saw him set the lowest 18-hole and 36-hole scores in the National Open of Bangladesh. His three-shot advantage is also the largest halfway lead recorded in the tournament, which is celebrating its fifth edition on the Asian Tour this week.

“My goal today was just to shoot under-par. I didn’t expect to play so well. I am really happy. My putting is very good. I got off to a solid start. I had a great run from the 12th hole. I was just hitting fairways and greens and then making putts,” said Sadom who won his maiden ADT title in the Thongchai Jaidee Foundation in February.

“I am really excited now. It’s been a good journey so far since I turned professional. I don’t think there’s much difference being a pro and an amateur. I just want to enjoy and not think so much about making money. Just play my game and be happy on course,” added Sasom

“Winning on the ADT has given me a lot of confidence in my game. It feels good to be in the lead after two rounds in my first Asian Tour start this season too. I hope to continue my good form over the next two days and see how it goes,” said Sadom who secured his 2019 Asian Tour card in his first attempt at the Qualifying School last December.

In-form Rashid Khan of India returned with a bogey-free 64 in the afternoon to grab second place on his own while overnight leader Maverick Antcliff of Australia slipped six shots off the pace to third following a battling 70 at the US$350,000 Asian Tour event.

Local hero Siddikur Rahman emerged as the highest-placed Bangladeshi on the leaderboard after posting a 68 to share fourth place with Japan’s Mikumu Horikawa (67) and Viraj Madappa of India (66) on matching 134s.

Starting from the 10th, Sadom reeled in two straight pars before a birdie on the 12th sparked a hot streak which saw him go five-under in the next four holes. He dropped a shot on the 17th hole but would gain it back swiftly with a birdie on 18th to turn in 30.

Sadom went on to add three more birdies on his back nine to cap a superb round, which saw him navigate his way around the greens in only 24 putts, including a 13-footer for eagle on the par-five 14th hole.

A total of 70 players, including a record number of 12 local professionals, survived the halfway cut set at one-over-par 143.

The Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open 2019 welcomed a new title sponsor in the National Bank Ltd, a public limited bank in Bangladesh. The tournament has been named in honour of the father of the nation of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The 25-year-old South Korean heads into this week’s tournament at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage chasing the third major of her career following wins at the 2017 US Open and 2018 PGA Championship.

A victory at last month’s HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore and a share of second place at last weekend’s Kia Classic indicate Park is perfectly poised to add to her major collection at this week’s showpiece in the California desert.

However Park insists she is not feeling the pressure heading into a tournament where she has posted two top-10 finishes in her three previous appearances.

Park attributed her mindset in part to her position on top of the rankings, which she has led for the past five weeks.

“Before I made number one in the world I did feel a lot of pressure,” Park said.

“At the beginning of this year I played a lot more freely…so just being able to maintain that level of freedom, just feeling more comfortable out there,” she added.

Park led at the halfway stage of last year’s ANA Inspiration, which was eventually won by Sweden’s Pernilla Lindberg.

The experience left Park determined to go one better this year.

“The ANA Inspiration is a major that I’ve targeted as a tournament that I would like to win,” said Park.

– Sink or swim? –

A victory on Sunday afternoon would leave Park ready to take the now traditional leap into Poppie’s Pond, the relatively shallow ater hazard surrounding the 18th green.

“I don’t know how to swim, and so if the level is deep then I might drown,” Park joked.

The fiercely competitive nature of the women’s professional circuit makes it likely that Park will have to deliver a flawless display this weekend to prevail.

Last year, the five majors in women’s golf all had different winners.

Those winners included world number two Ariya Jutanugarn from Thailand, who claimed her second career major at the US Open.

Ariya has two top-10 finishes at Mission Hills, where she infamously blew a two-shot lead with three holes to play in the final round of the 2016 tournament before losing to Lydia Ko.

The 2018 ANA Inspiration champion, Lindberg, is aiming to become the first woman since fellow Swede Annika Sorenstam to successfully defend the title.

– Struggle with success –

Lindberg claimed the first victory of her professional career at last year’s tournament, but has not had a win since.

The 32-year-old admitted she had struggled to cope with her new-found fame following her maiden major win, but has gradually rediscovered the peace of mind that helped her win a nervy playoff 12 months ago.

“I had a lot more requests and opportunities coming my way after my win,” Lindberg said.

“I embraced it all, took advantage of all the great opportunities, but it probably make me just higher stress level inside. It’s hard to play your best golf when you feel that way.

“I’ve done some really good work with my team the last few weeks, and I’m very much back to feeling very similar to how I felt coming into this week last year.”

Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, meanwhile, starts the tournament brimming with confidence after her win in last weekend’s Kia Classic in Carlsbad.

The 20-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough season last year, winning two titles on the LPGA tour and suffering a defeat in a playoff to Park Sung-hyun in the women’s PGA Championship.