MALAYSIA, November 23, Sunday (ePRESS) – Sri Lanka’s reigning amateur champion Chanaka Perera produced a strong and steady performance to make the cut after Day 2 of the 121st Malaysian Amateur Open, continued at the Permaipura Golf & Country Club in Bedong, Kedah Darul Aman on Saturday.
Perera of Sitrek Group, carded a solid four-over-par 75 in Round 2, bringing his total gross to 152. He finished the day in 39th place, becoming the only Sri Lankan golfer to qualify for the final round of this year’s three-day championship.
His achievement was even more important because Sri Lanka’s current No. 1 WAGR amateur golfer, Dhanushan Kumara, missed the 47-player cut. Kumara returned a 10-over-par 81 yesterday, finishing with a total of 155, falling short by three shots.
Perera’s tournament so far shows great fighting spirit. He opened with a six-over-par 77 on Day 1, but came back strongly with a controlled 75 on Day 2.
At the top of the leaderboard, South Korea’s Haecheon An continued his brilliant form, firing a five-under-par 66 yesterday after his opening round of 70, to lead with a total of 136. Austria’s Jakob Lotschak (70, 67) and South Korea’s Park Jae Min (67, 71) shared second place on 137.
