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IRELAND'S Padraig Harrington moved ominously up the US$5 million (S$7.6 million) Singapore Open leaderboard to close the gap on Thailand's Chapchai Nirat to one stroke during Sunday's final round.
Three-times major winner Harrington started the day five strokes adrift of the stocky Thai but three birdies in his first four holes brought him to within striking distance at eight-under-par.
Chapchai, dressed all in black as a mark of respect for the funeral of Thai Princess Galyani Vadhana in Bangkok, birdied the first but stumbled with back-to-back bogeys at the fourth and fifth holes.
Chapchai, who fired a spectacular eagle on the par-four 11th to pull two shots clear of the field on Saturday before fading light forced the players off the course, started the day at 10-under-par, three ahead of local hope Lam Chih Bing.
The fourth round of Asia's richest national open got underway just after 10am after 45 players completed their third rounds early on Sunday.
The first two rounds were disrupted by lightning and torrential rain, forcing organisers to discuss the possibility of the tournament spilling over to Monday.
However, conditions on Sunday were ideal for golf and barring an extreme change in weather the players should be able to finish as scheduled.
Singapore's Lam and world number three Phil Mickelson were playing with Nirat but quickly lost ground. Left-hander Mickelson was one-over-par after six holes and Lam two over, leaving them four strokes adrift.
India's Jeev Milkha Singh made a strong start and birdied his first two holes to move within two strokes of Chapchai.
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