Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai looks like he might take some stopping at the Yeangder TPC this weekend, after adding a second-round six-under-par 66 today to his opening 64.
He leads on 14-under by four strokes at Linkou International Golf & Country Club, from fellow Thais Settee Prakongvech and Sadom Kaewkanjana plus Miguel Tabuena from the Philippines.
Settee fired a 65, while both Sadom and Tabuena carded 67s.
Korea’s Yubin Jang (65), Italian Stefano Mazzoli (66), Chinese-Taipei’s Lu Wei-chih (69), Hung Chien-yao (67) and Wang Wei-Hsuan (70), plus Karandeep Kochhar (68) from India, are all a shot further back.
“It’s all Thais right now; will feel comfortable at the weekend as I will play with friends,” said Suteepat, who made it onto the Asian Tour after winning the Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit in 2022.
The 31-year-old’s one win to date on the Asian Tour came here in Chinese-Taipei last year, when he claimed the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open, and has made Chinese-Taipei something of a second home.
He’s played four events on the local tour this year, recording three top-10s to currently sit in 21st on their rankings
He joked: “I think it’s Taiwan first at the moment.”
He was four under after four thanks to birdies on the first and third and an eagle on the par-five fourth, where he fired in a five iron to 15 feet and made the putt. It was a mirror image of his eagle there yesterday, where he used the same clubs but his putt was a little closer. He made two birdies on the back nine and was bogey-free.
A proven winner who won three times on the ADT two years ago, all in Indonesia, the pack will be wary not to let him get too far ahead.
All indications are there that Sadom is starting to play the kind of golf that made him one of the region’s most feared golfers.
He has been relatively subdued since his breakthrough 2022 when he won once, at the SMBC Singapore Open, and recorded eight top 10s.
However, a tied fourth place finish at the International Series England in August – far and away his best finish of the season – and two fine rounds this week suggest much more is to come.
“My game is getting better,” said the 26-year-old, who was second on the 2020-2022 Asian Tour Order of Merit.
“I also finished third on my local tour recently, which gave me confidence. I hope I can keep going.”
He switched putters to cope with the slower greens today and proceeded to hole a host of long putts, including a 30 footer on the 15th, which was his sixth as he began on 10. He made seven birdies and two bogies.
He added: “Some tournaments have been bad, some tournaments good this year but I like where my golf is heading. I am looking for a win and some top-10s this year.”
Settee got off to an amazing start by making birdie on the first four, and another on six. Two more followed on the homeward half, and he was also bogey-free.
“Not so much wind this morning and the course is not too long, so I like this course,” said Settee, whose best finish on the Asian Tour is third-place at the DGC Open in 2022, plus he has one victory on the Asian Development Tour, at the Blue Canyon Open, the same year.
“You need to find the fairways then you can make a lot of birdies on these small greens.”
Veteran Lu, aged 45, won this event in 2011 and rolled back the years today, giving credit to his long-time caddie.
Said the four-time winner on the Asian Tour: “My caddie helped me a lot again today. I feel very comfortable with him. He was on my bag the first time when I won my first Asian Tour title in 2005, and we’ve worked together since then till just before Covid hit. It is great having him on the bag again, felt like the good old days.”
Current Asian Tour number one, and the winner here in 2016, John Catlin is six off the pace. The American, who has won twice this year and also leads The International Series Rankings, returned a 67.
Thailand’s Poom Saksansin, the defending champion, fought back from a disappointing first round 73 by carding a 68 to reach three under, which was right on the cut line.
Scores after round 2 of the Yeangder TPC being played at Linkou International G&CC, a par-72, 7,108 yard course (am – denotes amateur):
130 – Suteepat Prateeptienchai (THA) 64-66.
134 – Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA) 67-67, Settee Prakongvech (THA) 69-65, Miguel Tabuena (PHI) 67-67.
135 – Lu Wei-chih (TWN) 66-69, Stefano Mazzoli (ITA) 69-66, Wang Wei-hsuan (TWN) 65-70, Karandeep Kochhar (IND) 67-68, Hung Chien-yao (TWN) 68-67, Yubin Jang (KOR) 70-65.
136 – Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA) 68-68, Shotaro Ban (USA) 69-67, Richard T. Lee (CAN) 68-68, Justin Quiban (PHI) 68-68, Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (IND) 65-71, John Catlin (USA) 69-67, Sarit Suwannarut (THA) 69-67.
137 – Kyongjun Moon (KOR) 70-67, Phachara Khongwatmai (THA) 69-68, William Harrold (ENG) 70-67, Maverick Antcliff (AUS) 68-69, Jaco Ahlers (RSA) 69-68, Carlos Pigem (ESP) 67-70.
138 – Tatsunori Shogenji (JPN) 72-66, Liu Yung-hua (TWN) 69-69, Tomoyo Ikemura (JPN) 68-70, Chapchai Nirat (THA) 70-68, Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 69-69, Lee Chieh-po (TWN) 68-70, Jordan Zunic (AUS) 66-72, Nitithorn Thippong (THA) 71-67, Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA) 72-66, Atiruj Winaicharoenchai (THA) 67-71, Shiv Kapur (IND) 68-70, Yeongsu Kim (KOR) 71-67, K.P. Lin (TWN) 68-70.
139 – Jared Du Toit (CAN) 69-70, Danthai Boonma (THA) 72-67, Kazuki Higa (JPN) 70-69, Poosit Supupramai (THA) 73-66, Charlie Lindh (SWE) 69-70, Genki Okada (JPN) 71-68, Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND) 67-72, Jeunghun Wang (KOR) 70-69, Andrew Dodt (AUS) 69-70, Hsieh Chi-hsien (TWN) 70-69, Jbe Kruger (RSA) 70-69.
140 – Aaron Wilkin (AUS) 72-68, Ian Snyman (RSA) 74-66, Mingyu Cho (KOR) 70-70, Miguel Carballo (ARG) 70-70, Michael Tran (VNM) 72-68, Brendan Jones (AUS) 68-72, Michael Maguire (USA) 73-67.
141 – Fan Chiang Hao-chuan (TWN) 70-71, Junggon Hwang (KOR) 72-69, Taehoon Ok (KOR) 67-74, Poom Saksansin (THA) 73-68, Travis Smyth (AUS) 70-71, Kristoffer Broberg (SWE) 69-72, Siddikur Rahman (BAN) 72-69, Jose Toledo (GTM) 67-74, Trevor Simsby (USA) 73-68, Justin Warren (AUS) 72-69, Harrison Crowe (AUS) 70-71, Austen Truslow (USA) 69-72, Chanmin Jung (KOR) 72-69, Berry Henson (USA) 73-68, Bjorn Hellgren (SWE) 73-68, Lachlan Barker (AUS) 71-70, Tsai Tsung-yu (TWN) 71-70.
142 – Lu Sun-yi (TWN) 69-73, Jaewoong Eom (KOR) 74-68, Yeh Yu-chen (TWN) 73-69, Liu Yanwei (CHN) 70-72, Chang Wei-lun (TWN) 71-71, Suradit Yongcharoenchai (THA) 72-70, Bio Kim (KOR) 68-74, Shen Wei-cheng (TWN) 74-68, Manav Shah (USA) 70-72, Charng-Tai Sudsom (THA) 71-71, Wang Hsi-an (TWN) 74-68, Chiu Han-ting (TWN) 68-74, Nicholas Fung (MAS) 74-68, Kevin Yuan (AUS) 69-73, Ervin Chang (MAS) 75-67.
143 – Huang Yi-tseng (TWN) 72-71, Chan Shih-chang (TWN) 73-70, Sihwan Kim (USA) 73-70, Wen Cheng-hsiang (TWN) 72-71, Hsieh Cheng-wei (am, TWN) 70-73, Chen Po-hao (TWN) 73-70, Naoki Sekito (JPN) 71-72, Chonlatit Chuenboonngam (THA) 68-75.
144 – Hsu Yu-cheng (TWN) 71-73, Liu Yen-hung (TWN) 73-71, Pattaraphol Khanthacha (THA) 69-75, Minkyu Kim (KOR) 70-74, Sam Brazel (AUS) 75-69, Ho Yu-cheng (TWN) 73-71, Jed Morgan (AUS) 70-74, Hongtaek Kim (KOR) 72-72, Kao Teng (TWN) 70-74, Wooyoung Cho (KOR) 72-72.
145 – Tseng Fu-tung (TWN) 76-69, Gunn Charoenkul (THA) 78-67, Rashid Khan (IND) 70-75, Chen Yi-tong (TWN) 71-74, Wu Yao-wei (TWN) 71-74, Shahriffuddin Ariffin (MAS) 73-72, David Drysdale (SCO) 72-73, Yongjun Bae (KOR) 73-72, Lai Chia-i (TWN) 73-72, Huang Chi (TWN) 75-70.
146 – Lin Yung-lung (TWN) 74-72, Sung Mao-chang (TWN) 72-74, Lin Chang-heng (TWN) 73-73, Mardan Mamat (SGP) 70-76, Gaganjeet Bhullar (IND) 71-75, S.S.P. Chawrasia (IND) 75-71, He Chin-hung (TWN) 75-71, Tsai Chi-huang (TWN) 73-73, Su Ching-hung (TWN) 73-73, Deyen Lawson (AUS) 74-72, Prom Meesawat (THA) 73-73, Hsieh Ting-wei (TWN) 72-74.
147 – David Boriboonsub (THA) 71-76, Chang Tse-yu (TWN) 74-73, Jack Thompson (AUS) 69-78, Lien Lu-sen (TWN) 76-71.
148 – Chikkarangappa S. (IND) 76-72, Fang Yin-jen (TWN) 76-72, Yeh Chia-yin (TWN) 69-79, Ye Wocheng (CHN) 73-75, Todd Sinnott (AUS) 76-72, Zach Murray (AUS) 78-70, Chang Yu-cheng (TWN) 72-76.
149 – Shapiyate Mako (TWN) 74-75, Zhang Lianwei (CHN) 74-75.
150 – Tsai Shang-kai (TWN) 78-72, Cho Tsung-lin (TWN) 75-75, Fang Chuan-wei (TWN) 77-73.
151 – Varun Chopra (IND) 82-69.
152 – Zaw Moe (SGP) 75-77, Tsai Wei-ming (TWN) 76-76.
153 – Chen Wei-sheng (TWN) 78-75, Wang Yu-chun (am, TWN) 78-75, Wang Shih-jui (TWN) 75-78.
155 – Lee Chao-hua (TWN) 75-80.
160 – Tsai Kai-jen (TWN) 81-79.
END.
-3 (141) was the final cut, 71 players made the cut
