Five strokes off the pace after the opening round, the 35-year-old Thai hit an even-par 72 - the best round of the day - for a one-under 143 total.

He was one shot ahead of Japan's Tetsuya Haraguchi who fired a 75 in tough conditions.

Teeing off at the 10th hole, Chawalit suffered three bogeys at the 16th, 17th and first holes but bounced back with three birdies at the fifth, seventh and eighth at the 7,190-yard Oarai Golf Club in Ibaraki. "It was windy today and all players struggled from the 10th to 18th holes as they are near the sea," said Chawalit.

Chawalit is looking forward to ending a four-year title drought. He has won only once on the Japan Golf Tour when he claimed the ANA Open in his debut season in 2004.

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