Nakhon Pathom: Overnight co-leader Jazz Janewattananond carded a four-under-par 68 to stay ahead of the chasing pack at the halfway stage of the Betagro Championship yesterday.
The 22-year-old Thai seized the outright lead by one shot after totalling 11-under 133 at the Suwan Golf and Country Club, a venue where he wrote a slice of history on the Asian Tour in 2010.
At the age of 14 years and 71 days, Jazz, then an amateur, became the youngest player ever to make the halfway cut on the Asian Tour.
Eight years on, he is now a one-time winner on the region's premier tour following his breakthrough in Bangladesh last season.
Argentinean Miguel Carballo, who held a share of the overnight lead, posted a 69 to share second place with Thailand's Thitiphun Chuayprakong (65), Chinnarat Phadungsil (67) and Jaturon Duangphaichoom (67) at the event co-sanctioned by the All Thailand Golf Tour and the Asian Development Tour.
Starting from the 10th hole, Jazz reeled in three straight pars before stumbling with a double bogey on 13 for his only blemish of the day.
The talented Thai, however, bounced back brilliantly with three consecutive birdies to turn in 35 before adding three more birdies on his way home to stay atop the leaderboard.
"I was pretty angry after my double bogey on 13. My ball took an unlucky bounce and went into the water hazard. After that, I just told myself to keep to the plan as I knew the next hole was an easy par-five so I had to keep my cool.
"After I birdied the 15th hole, I managed to keep the momentum going. I made a massive 20-foot birdie putt on 16 and that really boosted my confidence going forward," said Jazz.
Jazz, who is playing in his sixth tournament in a row, was thrilled to put himself in prime position for a first ADT victory.
The young Thai had to overcome the jetlag that resulted from his long-haul flight from Belgium earlier in the week.
"I came here to play with no expectations in mind. I played on the European Tour in Belgium last week. I flew straight home and had to deal with the change in weather and the jetlag. I wanted to train myself to keep up my stamina with the travelling," added the Thai.
Carballo, who has capped four top-10s on the ADT this season before going on to claim a top-five finish on the Asian Tour in China last week, traded five birdies against two bogeys to stay in the mix.
"I didn't feel like I played well today because I was hitting it left and right and was making a lot of bad decisions. But overall, I still held my game together and I am happy with what I shot today," said Carballo.
