MARDAN Mamat put on a memorable virtuoso performance yesterday to spur Singapore hopes of victory in the 33rd Southeast Asian amateur championship for the Putra Cup at Fanling.
Revelling in the conditions, Mamat blazed his way around the Royal Hong Kong Golf Club's rain-drenched New Course in four-under-par 66.
It was a near-faultless display from the burly 26-year-old, who made four birdies and 14 pars.
Going into today's final round in the Carlsberg-sponsored tournament - reduced to 54 holes, following the cancellation of Thursday's second round due to heavy rain - the Singapore quartet of Mamat, Dino Kwek Beng Kwee, Lam Chih-bing and Mohammed Said are nine shots clear of the second-placed Philippines.
Douglas Ooi, Singapore's non-playing captain, said he was confident his young team could bring the republic their first victory in the tournament since 1967.
Although the Philippines, four shots behind Singapore in joint second with Myanmar after the first round, lost further ground on the leaders, the players will not concede victory.
