Asian Tour: Pavit Tangkamolprasert leads at International Series Korea after sensational start of seven successive birdies

Thailand’s Pavit shoots a sublime eight-under-par 63 at Lotte Skyhill Country Club in Jeju to top the leader board ahead of Eric Chun

‘I was a little but lucky on the front nine, but I hit my long irons and mid-irons quite good,’ the 33-year-old Pavit says

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Pavit Tangakamolprasert of Thailand hits a shot during the first round of the International Series Korea golf tournament at the Lotte Skyhill Country Club in Jeju. Photos: AFP

Published: 6:28pm, 18 Aug 2022

Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert is famous for winning a record seven titles on the Asian Development Tour but on Thursday he was in seventh heaven on the Asian Tour, after sensationally making seven birdies in a row from the first to help him take the lead in International Series Korea.

Pavit, also a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, shot a sublime eight-under-par 63, with the preferred lies rule in play, at Lotte Skyhill Country Club Jeju to top the leader board ahead of Korean Eric Chun, in with a 65.

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, the 2019 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, South Africans Justin Harding and Ian Snyman, and Australia’s Brett Rumford all came in with 66s.

The most number of consecutive birdies on the Asian Tour is nine – achieved by Bernd Wiesberger from Austria at the 2017 Maybank Championship, impressively when preferred lies were not used.

However, Pavit’s feat did match the record for most birdies at the start of a round, which three others players have done.

Pavit Tangakamolprasert of Thailand putts during the first round of the International Series Korea golf tournament.

“I was a little but lucky on the front nine, but I hit my long irons and mid-irons quite good,” the 33-year-old said. “The first nine is quite long for me, I had about 170 to 180 yards mostly. I hit it close and made the putts. I think it is the first time I have had seven in a row.”