Maiden Asian Tour victory beckons as Puig surges into six-shot lead in Singapore

David Puig took a stranglehold of the $2 million International Series - Singapore after carding a second round six under par 66 to take the lead on 14 under.

The 21-year-old Spaniard has a commanding six-stroke lead over Korean Jaewoong Eom, who returned a 67, in the seventh International Series event of the season.

Australian Jack Thompson, this year’s Qualifying School winner, shot a 68 and is a further shot behind, while Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho (67) and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger (69’s) are in group of nine players tied for fourth, another stroke back.

Puig has been knocking on the door of a first Asian Tour victory since turning professional just over a year ago and looks like having his best chance this week.

He started the day with a three-shot lead after a sublime 64 yesterday and boarded the birdie train again today making light work of the formidable Tampines Course at Tanah Merah Country Club.

Puig started on 10 with a bogey but bounced back with birdies on 11, 14, 15 and 17 and swept through the second half with four more birdies, including on the last, and one dropped shot.

“Two awesome days. Played very good,” said Puig, (pronounced ‘P-w-ee-g’.)

“I think I even played better today than I did yesterday. You know, it was pretty hot at the end, and I had a couple bad shots on holes seven and eight to finish, but overall, very happy.”

This is not the first time he has been out in front on the Asian Tour. He led after three rounds of the International Series - Morocco last year, in his first event on Tour, before finishing third. He also had a three shot margin after two rounds of the St Andrews Championship in August but ended in a tie for fourth.

About those performances he said: “It’s experience you know, and kind of learning from the past. I think I already learned a lot in this last month, but you know, I think I’m ready.”

Puig has also been competing full-time on the LIV Golf League playing for Torque GC – the dominant team this season, having won four times. His best finish individually came in Chicago in August when he was fourth and next week he heads to LIV Golf Jeddah.

Eom, who shone in the New Zealand Open earlier in the year when he finished in a tie for second, made five birdies and was one of the few players to go bogey free.

The 36-hole cut fell at 143, one under par with 67 players making it through to the weekend.