Cool Thai Poom Saksansin in prime position for second Jakarta triumph

Sky Sports Golf, 5am Sunday

Story so far
Justin Rose was no bigger than 15-8 ante-post for a successful Indonesian Masters title defence, but the Englishman has drifted to 11-1 through 54 holes and has a seven-shot final-round deficit to overcome.

Rose has been upstaged by Poom Saksansin, who was a 140-1 chance with bet365 in their opening show and easy to back at three-figure prices. The Thai, who won this event by five shots in 2016 for his Asian Tour breakthrough, has reached 16 under par through three rounds at Royale Jakarta.

Saksansin leads by three shots and is a shade of odds-on with everyone bar BoyleSports for victory. Henrik Stenson is alone in second place and can be backed at 7-5.

Leaderboard
-16 Poom Saksansin
-13 Henrik Stenson
-10 Jazz Janewattananond
-9 Justin Rose, Jakraphan Premsirigorn, Panuphol Pittayarat

Best prices
Evens P Saksansin, 7-5 H Stenson, 11 J Rose, 33 J Janewattananond, 150 bar

Final-day advice
Poom Saksansin played sensible, conservative golf in breezy conditions in round three, starting the day with a three-shot advantage and ending it with the same buffer, and the Thai has looked ultra-comfortable plotting his way along a course where he dominated just two years ago.

Saksansin started round four with a two-shot lead in 2016, closing with a 67 to cruise home by five, but Kalem Richardson was his chief pursuer going into Sunday that year. This time it is Henrik Stenson, a much more formidable opponent.

Stenson is Saksansin's hero – he secured a signed shirt of the Swede at the EurAsia Cup – so it will be interesting to see how that dynamic plays out in their final-round group. The Thai will either be inspired by the presence of his idol or intimidated by him.

Racing Post Sport followers will be hoping it is the latter, having backed Saksansin ante-post at extremely healthy prices, and the quality of his short-game work over the first three days should greatly encourage his supporters. He has looked so good with putter in hand, rolling his rock with supreme assurance, and his title challenge seems unlikely to falter on the greens.

With only a light breeze expected, Saksansin can be fancied to make enough birdies on the straightforward layout to repel the chasing pack. Stenson has done well on his maiden visit to Indonesia, but the second half of his season has been injury-plagued, his regular caddie has had shoulder surgery and is absent, and the former Open champion may not be in good enough form to produce the low round which will probably be needed to topple the leader.

Of course, if the occasion of going head-to-head with his hero proves too much for Saksansin and the 25-year-old loses his head, then Stenson may not have to do anything special to triumph. But Saksansin is a cool customer, full of putting confidence, and an implosion seems unlikely.

Racing Post Sport followers staring at a juicy payout from Saksansin may want to consider a cover-shot on Stenson as it would be a shock should anyone else lift the trophy. Ante-post hotpot Justin Rose has surely given himself too much to do from seven behind Saksansin and four adrift of Stenson.

Punters yet to get involved should devour the evens Saksansin being dangled by BoyleSports. The Irish layers have probably taken bundles of ante-post Rose and Stenson wagers and are eager to balance the books. Saksansin is no mug and should be odds-on.

Outright recommendation
P Saksansin
2pts Evens BoyleSports

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