Masrin trails by one

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Indonesia’s Danny Masrin remained unfazed by the prospect of going up against his more illustrious rivals as he charged up the leaderboard to trail Belgium’s Thomas Pieters by one shot in tied-second place at the Maybank Championship on Friday.

Masrin, who is playing under the ASEAN invite category this week, did not display any signs of nerve as he continued to put himself in contention at the US$3 million event with his two-day total of seven-under-par 137.

After opening with a three-under-par 69 at the Saujana Golf and Country Club, the Indonesian went one better as he traded seven birdies and a three bogeys to sign for a 68 and a share of second place with Spain’s Nacho Elvira.

Pieters, who is one half of the Belgium’s World Cup of Golf winning duo in Melbourne last November, started the day two shots off the lead in sixth place.

He suffered an early setback with a bogey on two but responded well with four birdies on holes four, 10, 13 and 16 to take his place atop the leaderboard.

American Paul Peterson made light work of the sweltering heat in Malaysia by signing for a 68 to make his move up the leaderboard and take a share of fourth place that also included Major winner Ernie Els of South Africa, Thailand’s Jazz Janaewattananond and 2014 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion David Lipsky of the United States.

Starting the day five shots off the lead, Peterson was among the early morning starters and he went off quickly by firing birdies on 11 and 18 to quickly close the gap in his opening back-nine 10.

The American, who won his only Asian Tour title in Myanmar in 2018, continued to sink even more birdies on holes one, three and five to put himself into a commanding position for the weekend rounds.

Thailand’s Prom Meesawat was also in the heat of the battle but he returned unscathed after firing a 71 to stay close to the leaders in a share of 11th place.

Leading scores after round 2 of the Maybank Championship being played at the par 72, 7136 Yards Saujana GCC course (am - denotes amateur):

136 - Thomas Pieters (BEL) 67-69.
137 - Danny Masrin (INA) 69-68, Nacho Elvira (ESP) 65-72.
138 - Paul Peterson (USA) 70-68, Lucas Herbert (AUS) 69-69, Maximilian Kieffer (GER) 71-67, Ernie Els (RSA) 68-70, Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 66-72, David Lipsky (USA) 72-66, Dean Burmester (RSA) 68-70.
139 - Masahiro Kawamura (JPN) 69-70, Prom Meesawat (THA) 68-71, Guido Migliozzi (ITA) 71-68, Zach Murray (AUS) 68-71, Scott Hend (AUS) 69-70, Shubhankar Sharma (IND) 71-68.
140 - Louis De Jager (RSA) 71-69, Julian Suri (USA) 69-71, Erik Van Rooyen (RSA) 71-69, Andrea Pavan (ITA) 69-71, Oliver Fisher (ENG) 70-70.
141 - Siddikur Rahman (BAN) 70-71, Nicholas Fung (MAS) 68-73, Kurt Kitayama (USA) 70-71, Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA) 72-69, Johannes Veerman (USA) 72-69, Matthias Schwab (AUT) 66-75, Thomas Detry (BEL) 70-71, Darren Fichardt (RSA) 76-65.