ON-FIRE RATTANON LEADS THAI DOMINANCE OF SJM MACAO OPEN
Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan kept up his unrelenting pace at the SJM Macao Open today by adding a second-round four-under-par 66 to his opening 61 to keep the lead.
He’s 13-under for the US$1 million tournament and has a two-shot lead over fellow Thai Gunn Charoenkul, who fired a 64.
Suteepat Prateeptienchai made it a monopoly for Thailand so far after returning a 63 to sit third, a shot further back, at Macau Golf & Country Club. All three played in the morning, a definite advantage as the wind picked up later in the day.
“I'm happy with my score today, if I can shoot four under every day, I'm very happy,” said Rattanon, who has his girlfriend Manuschaya Zeemakorn, a Thai LPGA Tour player, caddying for him.
“If I hit my tee shots well it’s good for me this course, because there are a lot of wedges into the greens.
“I think Thai players have played this course so many times, maybe that’s why they are playing well.”
He tied for fourth in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters at the weekend for his best result of the season and is in search of a second title on the Asian Tour. He won the 2017 Thailand Open and famously came close to a second win in 2022 when he was beaten by Korean Tom Kim, now a star on the PGA Tour, at The Singapore International, following a sudden-death play-off.
Gunn is in the hunt despite his game not being under control.
“I couldn't really start the ball online,” he said, “so, I'm just aiming everything left and play like a 30-yard slice, really. But my putter has been good, you know, really feeling it this week, and it's been working all week.
“I would say my ball striking is still way off. I mean, I still hit my seven iron like a 20-yard cut, 30-yard cut. So, I'll find something on the range today and see how it goes.”
The 32-year-old is very much in the ‘one of the best players not to win on the Asian Tour category’ and is drawing inspiration from his roommate Suteepat – who won the Yeangder TPC two weeks ago.
He added: “My roommate “Tee” [Suteepat] is igniting the fire in me. He already has two wins in the bag, and I'm out here like 10 years and have no wins. So, I'm really grinding it out the past two weeks. I really learned a lot the last two weeks, how to manage my game better, and not to fix my swing, you know, the same old stuff on the course.
“And, somehow, it's working out this week, and hopefully the trend is heading up. He [Suteepat] jokes a lot, you know, winding me up but in a good way and I am using it to get the best out of me. He's really heading up in a good way, and hopefully he pulls me up as well.”
Chinese-Taipei’s Liu Yung-hua carded a 67 and is in fourth place, four behind Rattanon – a fine effort considering he made a triple on his first hole of the tournament yesterday.
John Catlin came in with a 65 and is in a group of players five off the lead. The American’s move up the leaderboard was expected. He won the International Series Macau here in March, carding a 59 on the third day, and currently leads the Asian Tour and International Series rankings.
Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert, joint second at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters and the champion here in 2016, returned his second 66, and is tied with Catlin.
Brian Harman, the lefthander who won the Open last year, signed for a 66 and is seven under, while defending champion Min Woo Lee from Australia carded his second 68 and is four under.
South African Daniel Van Tonder made the first ace of the week, holing a nine iron on the par-three fourth from 148 yards. He finished with a 69 and is also four under.
