Not even a snake charm could save Chawalit Plaphol from the cut yesterday. The Thai came face to face with a seven-foot reptile during a second round which ended in disappointment as he missed the cut by one shot.
He got a free drop after his ball came to rest against the snake, but couldn't recover from his shock and bogeyed the 11th hole yesterday.
'I was called to make a ruling on the 11th. I asked what the problem was and was informed that there was a snake on the course,' said the European Tour's Mikael Eriksson, co-tournament director at the joint-sanctioned event.
'The ball was on the left of the 11th green. He took a free drop and played that shot in a hurry, in under three seconds,' said Eriksson. 'The ball was dropped in a position that was deemed no longer dangerous.'