Dumandan trails Taiwanese by one

MANILA, Philippines - Marvin Dumandan birdied three of the last six holes to shoot a five-under par 67 and move within a stroke behind Taiwanese Lu Chien Soon in the third round of the Mercedes-Benz Masters Malaysia at the Saujana Golf and Country Club in Malaysia yesterday.

Dumandan, the leading player on the circuit back home, bucked a bogey mishap on the first hole with a cluster of birdies, making the turn at 33. The long-hitting shotmaker stumbled with another bogey on No. 11 but made three birdies coming home, capped by back-to-back feat for that 67.

With a 207 aggregate, Dumandan stood a shot off Lu, who nearly blew a solid 31 at the front with an 8 on the par-4 15th as he birdied No. 17 to salvage a 70 and a 206.

Two other Filipinos pressed their title bid in the $60,000 tournament, the fifth leg of an eight-stage series for the region’s top shotmakers, with Tony Lascuna and Mars Pucay just two shots behind at 208 heading into the final 18 holes.

Lascuna matched Dumandan’s three birdies in the last six holes to fire a 70 while Pucay strung up nines of 35-35 to remain on track of the crown.

Dumandan, Lascuna and Pucay are trying to become the second Filipino to win on the circuit after Angelo Que ruled the third stop at Mt. Malarayat last May.

But the reigning Philippine Open champion stood in joint 27th with a 219 after a 74 in a tie with Michael Bibat, who faltered with a 76.