LIPA CITY, Batangas — Thai Chawalit Plaphol came through with an eagle-2 on the par-4 16th as he shot a three-under 69 to keep his five-stroke lead over Tony Lascuna intact in the third round of ICTSI Mount Malarayat Championship at the Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club on Friday here.

Plaphol, who pulled away from the pack with a course-record tying 64 Thursday, struggled with his form and had a roller-coaster round of three birdies against three bogeys after 12 holes, enabling Lascuna to move within two with a three-under card.

But the 35-year-old Thai banged in back-to-back birdies from No. 13, dropped a stroke on No. 15 before knocking in his wedge shot from 110 yards out for that eagle, giving Plaphol a 35-34 round and a 54-hole aggregate of 18-under 198.

Lascuna failed to hit any birdie after sinking an eight-footer on No. 12, settling for pars and a 69 for a 13-under 203, an impressive number by any standard but proved a little bit higher against Plaphol’s awesome form.

Now, the locals are one in saying it would take a miracle to catch up with the Thai.