Thailand’s in-form young star Sadom Kaewkanjana equaled Australian Greg Norman’s course record on the Canyon Course at Blue Canyon Country Club today with an imperious eight-under-par 64, and although it could not be counted as an official record because preferred lies were played he still stormed to the top of the leaderboard at the US$1million Blue Canyon Phuket Championship.
Eight brilliant birdies ‒ three on the front, five on the back ‒ saw him move into the lead on 12 under par by a stroke from American John Catlin, the first-round leader, who shot 68.
Korean Sihwan Kim and Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang are a stroke further behind after rounds of 66 and 68 respectively ‒ in an event that marks the resumption of the Asian Tour’s 2020-21 season, following a 20-month hiatus caused by the pandemic.
“My game today is pretty good,” said 23-year-old Sadom, whose round also matched South African Anton Haig’s 64 from the 2007 Johnnie Walker Classic.
“Especially iron play and putting. I hit close to the pin and made many birdies. And I have only missed one fairway this week.”
Sadom has claimed four titles on the All Thailand Golf Tour in the past two months including the Thailand Open and looks like being the man to beat this week, along with Catlin.
He added: “Initially this week I was just focusing on making the cut, but I am changing my game plan for tomorrow and looking to go further.”Â
Catlin carded a sublime 65 to take the first-round lead yesterday and stayed in the hunt today thanks to six birdies and just two dropped shots.
“I played well today but need to go to the range and work on a few things,” said Catlin.
“It was a very early start today. I was up at 4.30am and we didn’t get back until late last night, so I basically went straight to bed. But it’s great to be in this position and have a chance at the weekend.”
Joohyung Kim, the 19-year-old Korean star, came in with a 67 and is four off the lead.
Australian Wade Ormsby, the current leader of the Asian Tour Order of Merit, shot a 69 and is six off the pace, while Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond ‒ the reigning Merit list champion ‒ returned a 72 to surprisingly miss the cut, made at one under, by four.Â
Thailand’s 14-year-old golf prodigy Ratchanon Chantananuwat signed for a 72 to become the third youngest player to make the cut on the Asian Tour. He’s on one under par and as the only amateur to survive the halfway cut has secured the low amateur award.
“I am capable of playing better but I scrambled well. It’s my first Asian Tour event and I have basically loved being here since Monday,” said the youngster.
In 2010 Jazz became the youngest player, at age 14 years 71 days, to make the cut in an Asian Tour event at the Asian Tour International in Bangkok, as an amateur.
This week’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship will be followed by the Laguna Phuket Championship next week at Laguna Golf Phuket.
Both Phuket events boast prizemoney of US$1million and will be followed by two events being planned in Singapore in January that will bring to a conclusion the 2020-21 season.
Scores after round 2 of the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship being played at the par 72, 7257 Yards Blue Canyon CC course (am – denotes amateur):
132 – Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA) 68-64.
133 – John Catlin (USA) 65-68.
134 – Chan Shih-chang (TPE) 66-68, Sihwan Kim (USA) 68-66.
136 – Joohyung Kim (KOR) 69-67.
137 – Phachara Khongwatmai (THA) 67-70, Bjorn Hellgren (SWE) 69-68, Taehoon Ok (KOR) 70-67, Ben Leong (MAS) 69-68.
138 – Travis Smyth (AUS) 73-65, Pawin Ingkhapradit (THA) 70-68, Wade Ormsby (AUS) 69-69, Ian Snyman (RSA) 66-72, Chang Wei-lun (TPE) 70-68.
139 – Justin Quiban (PHI) 69-70, Chapchai Nirat (THA) 70-69, Bongsub Kim (KOR) 72-67, Berry Henson (USA) 70-69, Paul Peterson (USA) 68-71, Karandeep Kochhar (IND) 69-70, Suradit Yongcharoenchai (THA) 72-67, Steve Lewton (ENG) 74-65.
140 – Raththee Sirithanakunsak (THA) 69-71, Seung Park (KOR) 72-68, Suteepat Prateeptienchai (THA) 70-70, Richard T. Lee (CAN) 71-69, Shiv Kapur (IND) 68-72, Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA) 71-69, Scott Hend (AUS) 69-71, Veer Ahlawat (IND) 70-70, Panuphol Pittayarat (THA) 70-70, Kasidit Lepkurte (THA) 70-70, Wolmer Murillo (VEN) 70-70, Sungho Lee (KOR) 72-68.
141 – Sarun Sirithon (THA) 73-68, Kosuke Hamamoto (THA) 71-70, Viraj Madappa (IND) 69-72, Sattaya Supupramai (THA) 74-67, Kwanchai Tannin (THA) 72-69, Nitithorn Thippong (THA) 70-71, Tanapat Pichaikool (THA) 69-72, Miguel Tabuena (PHI) 71-70, Nirun Sae-Ueng (THA) 75-66, Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND) 70-71, Naras Luangphetcharaporn (THA) 71-70, S Chikkarangappa (IND) 68-73, Heungchol Joo (KOR) 70-71, Bio Kim (KOR) 70-71, Thaya Limpipolpaibul (THA) 71-70, Newport Laparojkit (THA) 73-68.
142 – Chanachok Dejpiratanamongkol (THA) 74-68, Danthai Boonma (THA) 69-73, Yoseop Seo (KOR) 71-71, Tirawat Kaewsiribandit (THA) 73-69, Sam Brazel (AUS) 72-70, Kammalas Namuangruk (THA) 73-69, Natipong Srithong (THA) 72-70, Nopparat Panichphol (THA) 72-70, Aadil Bedi (IND) 73-69, Nicholas Fung (MAS) 75-67.
143 – Waris Manthorn (THA) 72-71, Ratchanon Chantananuwat (am, THA) 71-72, Piya Sawangarunporn (THA) 71-72, Sarit Suwannarut (THA) 70-73, Jeev Milkha Singh (IND) 71-72, Dongeun Kim (KOR) 72-71, Aman Raj (IND) 72-71, Ratchapol Jantavara (THA) 72-71, Jake Higginbottom (AUS) 76-67, Suttijet Kooratanapisan (THA) 71-72, Doyeob Mun (KOR) 70-73, Chonlatit Chuenboonngam (THA) 71-72, Khalin Joshi (IND) 71-72, Dodge Kemmer (USA) 69-74.
144 – Siddikur Rahman (BAN) 71-73, Andrew Martin (AUS) 73-71, S.S.P Chawrasia (IND) 70-74, Poom Pattaropong (THA) 71-73, Wang Wei-hsuan (TPE) 72-72, Poom Saksansin (THA) 76-68, Prom Meesawat (THA) 71-73, Koh Deng Shan (SIN) 75-69, Gavin Green (MAS) 75-69, Adilson Da Silva (BRA) 74-70, Mathiam Keyser (RSA) 69-75.
145 – Trevor Simsby (USA) 72-73, Christoffer Baumann (SWE) 74-71, Atiruj Winaicharoenchai (THA) 76-69, Woohyun Kim (KOR) 73-72, Itthipat Buranatanyarat (THA) 72-73, Honey Baisoya (IND) 69-76, Sangchai Kaewcharoen (THA) 73-72.
146 – Witchayapat Sinsrang (THA) 73-73, Peradol Panyathanasedh (THA) 76-70, Byungjun Kim (KOR) 73-73, Hein Sithu (MYN) 71-75, Shinichi Mizuno (JPN) 75-71, Denwit Boriboonsub (THA) 75-71, Vanchai Luangnitikul (THA) 75-71, Ben Campbell (NZL) 72-74, Will Heffernan (AUS) 74-72, David Langley (ENG) 76-70.
147 – Micah Lauren Shin (USA) 71-76, Rory Hie (INA) 73-74, Jarin Todd (USA) 72-75, Pannakorn Uthaipas (THA) 72-75, Josh Younger (AUS) 74-73, Ryan Lumsden (SCO) 70-77, Thanpisit Omsin (THA) 74-73, Zach Bauchou (USA) 71-76, Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 75-72, Galven Green (MAS) 73-74.
148 – Poosit Supupramai (THA) 73-75, Janne Kaske (FIN) 77-71, Pawat Prachoomsrisakul (THA) 76-72, Kevin Yuan (AUS) 75-73, Chanat Sakulpolphaisan (THA) 74-74, Rashid Khan (IND) 76-72, Othman Almulla (KSA) 76-72, Curtis Knipes (ENG) 75-73, Sungyeol Kwon (KOR) 79-69.
149 – Udayan Mane (IND) 77-72, Yikeun Chang (KOR) 79-70, Settee Prakongvech (THA) 76-73, Antonio Lascuna (PHI) 75-74.
150 – Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA) 75-75, Hongtaek Kim (KOR) 78-72, Shergo Al Kurdi (JOR) 76-74.
151 – Ben Eccles (AUS) 75-76, Charng-Tai Sudsom (THA) 75-76, Cory Crawford (AUS) 76-75.
152 – Chaiphat Koonmark (THA) 74-78, Kevin Phelan (IRL) 74-78.
153 – Ramil Saelim (am, THA) 84-69, Faisal Alsalhab (am, KSA) 81-72.
154 – Lionel Weber (FRA) 81-73.
156 – Amir Nazrin (MAS) 77-79, Danny Masrin (INA) 78-78.
157 – Pasavee Lertvilai (THA) 77-80.
158 – Conrad Rafferty (THA) 78-80.
163 – Saud Alsharif (am, KSA) 78-85.
166 – Abdulrahman Almansour (am, KSA) 81-85.
181 – David Gleeson (AUS) 91-90.
