Go falls short of target, ends up T-3rd in Bangladesh

MANILA, Philippines — Lloyd Go came up short in his breakthrough bid on the Asian Development Tour, settling for joint third with a closing 71 in the Bangladesh Open ruled by Malaysian Shahriffuddin Ariffin at the Kurmitola Golf Club in Bangladesh Saturday.

A wobbly frontside 37 ruined the Cebuano ace’s final round charge although he shot two birdies at the back before holing out with another bogey at the tough No. 18 for the third straight day. He wound up with a four-day total of 278 for a share of third with veteran Danny Chia of Malaysia, who also matched par 71.

Ariffin hit three straight birdies from No. 5 and went on to beat erstwhile co-leader Thai Denwit Boriboonsub by two with a 70 and a 275. He also bucked a double bogey mishap on No. 13 with a birdie on the 15th to save a 34-36.

Boriboonsub actually took charge with a frontside 33 and firmed up his lead with a birdie on No. 11 but cracked under pressure, dropping off the lead with three straight bogeys from No. 14 and holing out with another mishap for a 72 and a 277.

Fidel Concepcion ended up tied at 36th with a 72 for a 294 while Ira Alido skied to a 78 and finished at 48th in the surviving 50-player field at 302.

Despite his failed bid, Go stayed at No. 5 in the Asian Development Tour Order of Merit with the Top 10 earning playing rights for next year’s Asian Tour. He lost in sudden death in the BRG Open and tied for second at Ciputra Golfpreneur and posted four other Top 9 finishes.

Over in Asian Tour, Miguel Tabuena recovered from a double-bogey, bogey start with five birdies against two more bogeys as he saved an even par 71 and stayed at joint 19th after three rounds of the Bangladesh Open now led by Thai Kosuke Hamamoto.

The ICTSI-backed shotmaker stumbled with a missed green, three-putt miscue on the opening par-4 hole in moving day and yielded another stroke on the next. But he birdied Nos. 6 and 7 then hit three more birdies against two miscues at the back to salvage a 36-35 round.

Together with his two 70s, Tabuena pooled a 211, eight strokes behind Danthai Boonma of Thailand heading to the final 18 holes of the $400,000 event at the Kumitola Golf Club.

Justin Quiban, meanwhile, blew an even par card with a triple-bogey on No. 17 but birdied the last for a 73. He slipped to joint 32nd with a 214 aggregate.

Hamamoto birdied three of the last five holes to shoot a 67 and wrest control at 202, one shot ahead of fellow Thai Danthai Boonma, who fired a 65 for a 203 even as two-day leader Itthipat Buranatanyarat shot himself in the foot with a 74 and fell to joint sixth at 207, now five strokes behind the new leader.