Patrick Reed from the United States impressed again today at the International Series Macau presented by Wynn, shooting a second-round six-under-par 64 to take the lead by one from Carlos Ortiz.
Mexico’s Ortiz was also in inspired form shooting a 61 – which matched the course record – while Australians Lucas Herbert and Travis Smyth are two strokes further back after they both returned 65s.
Zimbabwean Kieran Vincent (65), Spain’s Sergio Garcia (66), and Filipino Miguel Tabuena (67) are an additional shot behind, in the second event of the year on The International Series – the Asian Tour’s top-tier of million-dollar events.
Reed was the overnight leader following a 63 here at Macau Golf & Country Club yesterday and picked up where he left off, chalking up seven birdies and a solitary bogey to reach 13-under.
He finished fourth here last year, while Herbert was third, so they both have unfinished business heading into the weekend.
“I think the biggest motivation is going out and getting in contention on Sundays,” said Reed – who won the Link Hong Kong Open last November.
“You know, I feel like the game has been pretty solid this year. I feel like I’ve been hitting the ball decently, feel like I’ve been hitting a lot of quality putts, just the results aren’t really speaking for it. The ball’s not going how I want it to, so to go out there these first two days and play the way I did, I feel like that’s just kind of how I’ve been playing.”
The 34-year-old also has one eye on qualifying for The Open this year, as this week’s event is part of the Open Qualifying Series. Three places are up for grabs at Royal Portrush this summer.
He added: “You know, to finally get the scores out is nice, and hopefully I just go ahead and do the same thing on the weekend. Not only will I try to earn one of the three spots in The Open, but you know, hoist the trophy.”
Ortiz’s spectacular round consisted of 10 birdies and one bogey, on the fifth. Remarkably, seven of those birdies came on the back nine, and featured four in a row from the 10th. He matched the 61 recorded by Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan when he won last season. American John Catlin shot a 59 here last year but unlike today, it was on a day when preferred lies were played.
“It’s always good when you make a lot of birdies,” said Ortiz, who claimed the International Series Oman last year.
“I feel like I played solid. I left myself in good spots, I drove the ball pretty well, so it’s nice to take advantage of a good day.”
Herbert missed the play-off here last year – which saw Catlin beat Spain’s David Puig on the second extra-hole – by just two shots. It looks like he will go close once more in what is the second edition of the event.
“Just played reasonably solid,” he said. “I think I made a few pars where I needed to. Still feels like there were more shots out there, though, which is promising. Going into the weekend, you know, probably have to shoot another couple of low ones to try and catch Patrick.”
Like Reed he started on the 10th and managed to go bogey free.
“So yeah, happy to be in the house at 10 under. I think it was kind of the goal for two rounds. So, yeah, lunch will taste nice on the back of that,” he added.
Garcia is also coming off a win in Hong Kong but more recently than Reed. He won LIV Golf Hong Kong two weeks ago – which like the Link Hong Kong Open was also played at Hong Kong Golf Club.
When asked what has led to his recent purple patch, which has also helped him steer his Fireballs GC team to three successive wins on the LIV Golf League, he explained: “A little bit of everything, I guess. Obviously, the long game has been good, the short game it’s improved, so it’s a good mix of things there. But, you know, there’s still a lot of things that I need to get better at.”
Macau’s Kelvin Si is enjoying the tournament of his life. He came in with a 67 and is seven under, in a tie for 11th, along with Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho, who returned a 66.
Said Si: “It’s my home course, so it’s definitely a big advantage. The conditions were really good today – sunny, with not much wind. I played this event last year, missed the cut, but it was a good experience. I can use that this week, and I feel much more comfortable than last year because that was my first time playing a professional tournament on this course.”
Catlin shot a 72 yesterday but bounced back with a 66 today to move to two under and make the cut by one.
ENDS
Scores after round 2 of the International Series Macau presented by Wynn – being played at Macau Golf and Country Club, a par 70, 6,713-yard course (am – denotes amateur):
127 – Patrick Reed (USA) 63-64.
128 – Carlos Ortiz (MEX) 67-61.
130 – Lucas Herbert (AUS) 65-65, Travis Smyth (AUS) 65-65.
131 – Sergio Garcia (ESP) 65-66, Miguel Tabuena (PHI) 64-67, Kieran Vincent (ZIM) 66-65.
132 – Jason Kokrak (USA) 68-64, Dominic Foos (GER) 65-67, Sebastian Munoz (COL) 65-67, Junggon Hwang (KOR) 65-67.
133 – Taichi Kho (HKG) 67-66, Kelvin Si (MAC) 66-67, Wu Ashun (CHN) 66-67.
134 – Richard T. Lee (CAN) 67-67, Wooyoung Cho (KOR) 68-66, Yuvraj Sandhu (IND) 69-65, Denzel Ieremia (NZL) 68-66, Sihwan Kim (USA) 67-67.
135 – Peter Uihlein (USA) 64-71, Atiruj Winaicharoenchai (THA) 69-66, Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA) 70-65, Charlie Lindh (SWE) 67-68, Yosuke Asaji (JPN) 65-70, Caleb Surratt (USA) 72-63, Sanghee Lee (KOR) 67-68, Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 67-68, Gaganjeet Bhullar (IND) 70-65, Maximilian Rottluff (GER) 68-67, Maverick Antcliff (AUS) 71-64, Jed Morgan (AUS) 66-69.
136 – Adrian Meronk (POL) 66-70, Abraham Ancer (MEX) 67-69, Kalle Samooja (FIN) 64-72, Matthew Cheung (HKG) 70-66, Seungsu Han (USA) 68-68, Jack Thompson (AUS) 67-69.
137 – Kevin Yuan (AUS) 67-70, Graeme McDowell (NIR) 72-65, Todd Sinnott (AUS) 67-70, Anirban Lahiri (IND) 67-70, David Puig (ESP) 69-68, Chonlatit Chuenboonngam (THA) 66-71, Nick Voke (NZL) 66-71, Matt Jones (AUS) 70-67, Shiv Kapur (IND) 69-68, Chase Koepka (USA) 68-69, Kazuki Higa (JPN) 70-67, Danthai Boonma (THA) 72-65, Daihan Lee (KOR) 66-71, Manav Shah (USA) 69-68.
138 – Yubin Jang (KOR) 67-71, Santiago De la Fuente (MEX) 68-70, John Catlin (USA) 72-66, Settee Prakongvech (THA) 71-67, Nitithorn Thippong (THA) 69-69, Gunn Charoenkul (THA) 69-69, Stefano Mazzoli (ITA) 66-72, Jbe Kruger (RSA) 68-70, Soomin Lee (KOR) 68-70, Ervin Chang (MAS) 72-66.
139 – Pawin Ingkhapradit (THA) 69-70, Wang Wei-hsuan (TPE) 69-70, Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA) 70-69, Scott Hend (AUS) 70-69, Wade Ormsby (AUS) 73-66, Tanapat Pichaikool (THA) 68-71, Chen Guxin (CHN) 69-70, Jakkanat Inmee (THA) 70-69, Ollie Roberts (SCO) 70-69, Luke Kwon (KOR) 72-67, Ratchanon Chantananuwat (am, THA) 68-71, Poom Saksansin (THA) 70-69, Chanmin Jung (KOR) 72-67, James Piot (USA) 72-67, Chapchai Nirat (THA) 69-70, David Horsey (ENG) 68-71, Joel Stalter (FRA) 69-70, Bobby Bai (CHN) 69-70.
140 – Steve Lewton (ENG) 70-70, Justin Quiban (PHI) 68-72, Kosuke Hamamoto (THA) 70-70, Andy Ogletree (USA) 69-71, Austen Truslow (USA) 70-70, Xiao Bowen (CHN) 70-70.
141 – Ekpharit Wu (THA) 69-72, Suteepat Prateeptienchai (THA) 69-72, Rahil Gangjee (IND) 74-67, Berry Henson (USA) 71-70, Bjorn Hellgren (SWE) 71-70, Hongtaek Kim (KOR) 69-72, Scott Vincent (ZIM) 71-70, Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij (THA) 68-73, Liu Yanwei (CHN) 71-70, Ian Snyman (RSA) 72-69, Charng-Tai Sudsom (THA) 71-70, Chang Wei-lun (TPE) 71-70, Bio Kim (KOR) 68-73, Eduard Rousaud (ESP) 73-68.
142 – Tomoyo Ikemura (JPN) 68-74, Christopher Hickman (USA) 66-76, Junghwan Lee (KOR) 71-71, Lawry Flynn (AUS) 75-67, Dodge Kemmer (USA) 71-71, Lu Wei-chih (TPE) 71-71, Itthipat Buranatanyarat (THA) 71-71, Jeunghun Wang (KOR) 71-71, Chan Shih-chang (TPE) 71-71.
143 – Julien Sale (FRA) 71-72, Doyeob Mun (KOR) 69-74, Roberto Lebrija (MEX) 72-71, Tatsunori Shogenji (JPN) 70-73, Taiki Yoshida (JPN) 73-70, Poosit Supupramai (THA) 69-74.
144 – Luis Masaveu (ESP) 71-73, Hung Chien-yao (TPE) 72-72, Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND) 76-68, Sampson Zheng (CHN) 69-75, Changwoo Lee (KOR) 70-74, Liu Yung-hua (TPE) 72-72, Brett Rankin (AUS) 69-75, Kyungnam Kang (KOR) 72-72.
145 – Angelo Que (PHI) 72-73, Hiroshi Iwata (JPN) 71-74, Jeev Milkha Singh (IND) 70-75, Aaron Wilkin (AUS) 74-71, S.S.P. Chawrasia (IND) 69-76.
146 – Eunshin Park (KOR) 71-75, M.J. Maguire (USA) 72-74, Taehoon Ok (KOR) 72-74, Yeongsu Kim (KOR) 75-71, Jose Toledo (GTM) 70-76.
147 – Zhang Xinjun (CHN) 72-75, Takumi Murakami (JPN) 71-76.
148 – Anthony Kim (USA) 73-75, Witchayapat Sinsrang (THA) 75-73, Ye Wocheng (CHN) 74-74, George Kneiser (USA) 72-76.
149 – Khalid Attieh (KSA) 77-72, Yuta Sugiura (JPN) 77-72, Micah Shin (USA) 72-77.
150 – Liang Wenchong (CHN) 73-77.
151 – Pui In Hun (MAC) 74-77, Garam Jeon (KOR) 71-80.
152 – Mingyu Cho (KOR) 74-78.
END.
-1 (139) was the final cut, 79 players made the cut
a-Lei Kun Wang, Macao – RT
David Boriboonsub, Thailand – WD
Rattanon Wannasrichan, Thailand – WD
Prom Meesawat, Thailand – WD
