Sadom Kaewkanjana birdied two of his last three holes to extend his lead to three shots at the halfway stage of the US$500,000 Smart Infinity Philippine Open, the season-opening event of the 2025 Asian Tour schedule.
The 26-year-old from Thailand took his battle against the demanding Masters Course of Manila Southwoods Golf & Country Club to 28 holes without making a bogey before dropping two shots on the 11th and 15th holes. However, birdies on the 16th and 18th gave him a four-under-par 66 card and he tallied nine-under 131 for the 36 holes.
That gave him a three-shot advantage over Korean-American Micah Shin (65), who is making a return to competitive golf following a hip injury that kept him away for the whole year after withdrawing from the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund in December 2023.
Japan’s Tomoyo Ikemura (66) and Australian Aaron Wilkin (69) were tied for third place at five-under 135, one ahead of a group of five players that included Australians Travis Smyth (66) and Kevin Yuan (66), Ian Snyman (68) of South Africa, Jaewoong Eom (68) of Korea and Thai Charng-Tai Sudsom (67).
Local hero Justin Quiban shot a bogey-free 64 – the lowest round of the tournament so far – to make up for his disappointment in the opening round. At three-under 137, he was in tied 10th position and the best placed among the home players.
Playing the golf course for the first time, Sadom powered ahead with four birdies in his front nine and made his first bogey of the tournament on the 11th hole when his second shot from the rough caught a flier and flew the green.
“Today, I played solid, just like yesterday,” said the two-time Asian Tour champion. “I had a good start on the front nine, but I struggled on the back nine.
“I’m happy to come back with two birdies on the last three holes. Everything was working well and I’m very happy with my result today.
“The course is playing tough, especially on the holes that used to be par fives but changed to par fours for the tournament. Those two holes are tough. It’s just about hitting the fairway, and then hitting on the green. And that’s what I hope to do tomorrow.”
The 28-year-old Shin showed his love for the Philippines once again by getting into contention. Born in the USA, he spent his growing years in Davao City in the south of the Philippines and won his first and only Asian Tour title when he triumphed at the 2017 Resort World Manila Masters at this week’s venue.
Although he moved to Korea during the COVID years, Shin showed once again how comfortable he is in the Philippines. On Friday, he started from the first hole with a birdie before dropping a shot on the par-three fifth hole. Once he birdied the eighth, he did all his scoring over the last 10 holes.
“I had a problem with my hip… it’s called a hip impingement or something like that. The bone grew and I had to get surgery done on that,” said Shin.
“I am not 100 per cent fit still. So, I’m actually happy that I finished my round like this. But who knows what will happen.”
On returning to Manila Southwoods, he said: “It feels nice to be back, but it feels really different too. They have changed some holes.
“I wasn’t really hitting it too good yesterday, so I was actually kind of worried about my round today. I was trying to figure out my swing with my caddy. I was just focusing on my tempo and rhythm and stuff and I started hitting a little better.”
Quiban, a regular at Manila Southwoods, started from the 10th tee and finished strong with a birdie on the seventh hole before his eagle on the eighth.
“I was pretty much flawless from tee to green,” said Quiban, looking for his first win on the Asian Tour. “Yesterday, I wasn’t really hitting my drives properly, I wasn’t really getting into the right positions. I just worked on the driver after my round and that carried on today. I just missed one fairway and had perfect looks to the pins, and I was actually draining my putts too.”
The cut was applied at two-over 142, with 67 players making it to the weekend.
Scores after round 2 of the Smart Infinity Philippine Open being played on the Masters Course at Manila Southwoods Golf & Country Club. It is a par 70, 7,138-yard course (am – denotes amateur):
131 – Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA) 65-66.
134 – Micah Shin (USA) 69-65.
135 – Aaron Wilkin (AUS) 66-69, Tomoyo Ikemura (JPN) 69-66.
136 – Ian Snyman (RSA) 68-68, Travis Smyth (AUS) 70-66, Kevin Yuan (AUS) 70-66, Jaewoong Eom (KOR) 68-68, CharngTai Sudsom (THA) 69-67.
137 – Christian Banke (USA) 71-66, Justin Quiban (PHI) 73-64, Jeunghun Wang (KOR) 69-68, Gunn Charoenkul (THA) 70-67, Kazuki Higa (JPN) 70-67, Tatsunori Shogenji (JPN) 68-69, Xiao Bowen (CHN) 71-66, Julien Sale (FRA) 69-68, Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND) 67-70.
138 – Junghwan Lee (KOR) 70-68, Santiago De la Fuente (MEX) 71-67, Jose Toledo (GTM) 70-68, Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA) 66-72, Sean Ramos (PHI) 68-70, Bjorn Hellgren (SWE) 67-71, Settee Prakongvech (THA) 67-71.
139 – Nick Voke (NZL) 68-71, Scott Vincent (ZIM) 69-70, Jiho Yang (KOR) 70-69, Poom Saksansin (THA) 70-69, Aidric Chan (PHI) 68-71, Liu Yung-hua (TPE) 70-69, Aguri Iwasaki (JPN) 70-69, Justin De Los Santos (PHI) 70-69, Dominic Foos (GER) 68-71, Lawry Flynn (AUS) 71-68, Ervin Chang (MAS) 72-67, Enrico Gallardo (PHI) 71-68.
140 – Ekpharit Wu (THA) 73-67, Chapchai Nirat (THA) 74-66, Kosuke Hamamoto (THA) 69-71, Liu Yanwei (CHN) 71-69.
141 – Stefano Mazzoli (ITA) 70-71, Austen Truslow (USA) 73-68, George Kneiser (USA) 74-67, Chonlatit Chuenboonngam (THA) 73-68, Steve Lewton (ENG) 69-72, Yosuke Asaji (JPN) 67-74, Jed Morgan (AUS) 68-73, Kyungnam Kang (KOR) 69-72, Junggon Hwang (KOR) 70-71, Miguel Carballo (ARG) 70-71.
142 – Shinichi Suzuki (am, PHI) 73-69, Todd Sinnott (AUS) 73-69, Sihwan Kim (USA) 73-69, Dodge Kemmer (USA) 71-71, Maverick Antcliff (AUS) 73-69, Denzel Ieremia (NZL) 71-71, Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 70-72, Yeongsu Kim (KOR) 71-71, Miguel Tabuena (PHI) 74-68, S.S.P. Chawrasia (IND) 69-73, Lloyd Jefferson Go (PHI) 72-70, Mingyu Cho (KOR) 72-70, Carl Jano Corpus (PHI) 70-72, Rashid Khan (IND) 70-72, Danthai Boonma (THA) 66-76, Rupert Zaragosa (PHI) 73-69.
143 – Suteepat Prateeptienchai (THA) 71-72, Ahmad Baig (PAK) 75-68, Yuvraj Sandhu (IND) 74-69, Taiki Yoshida (JPN) 75-68, Hung Chien-yao (TPE) 69-74.
144 – Roberto Lebrija (MEX) 75-69, Nitithorn Thippong (THA) 77-67, Tanapat Pichaikool (THA) 72-72, Daiya Suzuki (JPN) 72-72, Chase Koepka (USA) 72-72, Doyeob Mun (KOR) 69-75, Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij (THA) 68-76, Pawin Ingkhapradit (THA) 71-73.
145 – Eduard Rousaud (ESP) 73-72, Nilo Salahog (PHI) 74-71, Bai Zhengkai (CHN) 77-68, Taichi Kho (HKG) 72-73, Jeff Lumbo (am, PHI) 75-70, Rahil Gangjee (IND) 74-71, Michael Bibat (PHI) 74-71.
146 – Wang Wei-hsuan (TPE) 77-69, Takumi Murakami (JPN) 75-71, Guido Van Der Valk (NED) 71-75, Dino Villanueva (PHI) 72-74, Hyunho Rho (KOR) 72-74, Chan Shih-chang (TPE) 74-72, Keanu Jahns (PHI) 72-74, Kakeru Ozeki (JPN) 72-74, Jonar Austria (am, PHI) 72-74.
147 – Gabriel Manotoc (PHI) 71-76, Chang Wei-lun (TPE) 76-71, Jack Thompson (AUS) 74-73, Ryan Monsalve (PHI) 75-72, Ngai Si (MAC) 73-74, Reymon Jaraula (PHI) 74-73, Albin Engino (PHI) 70-77, Antonio Lascuna (PHI) 73-74, Liang Wenchong (CHN) 73-74, Sarit Suwannarut (THA) 75-72, Matthew Cheung (HKG) 75-72, Guntaek Koh (KOR) 74-73, James Ryan Lam (PHI) 73-74, Jhonnel Ababa (PHI) 72-75, Clyde Mondilla (PHI) 71-76, Rianne Malixi (am, PHI) 75-72, Changwoo Lee (KOR) 74-73.
148 – Koh Dengshan (SIN) 76-72, Gary Stal (FRA) 78-70, Poosit Supupramai (THA) 77-71, David Boriboonsub (THA) 70-78, Collin Wheeler (USA) 72-76, Christopher Hickman (USA) 70-78, Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA) 70-78, Russel Bautista (PHI) 73-75.
149 – Manav Shah (USA) 78-71, Atiruj Winaicharoenchai (THA) 73-76, Jolo Timothy Magcalayo (am, PHI) 76-73, Joey Huerva (PHI) 76-73, Randy Garalde (PHI) 76-73, Kristoffer Arevalo (PHI) 76-73.
150 – Charlie Lindh (SWE) 79-71.
151 – Charles Porter (USA) 73-78, Angelo Que (PHI) 75-76, Zanie Boy Gialon (PHI) 76-75.
152 – Witchayapat Sinsrang (THA) 78-74, Mars Pucay (PHI) 75-77, Jay Bayron (PHI) 73-79.
153 – Tristan Padilla (am, PHI) 76-77, Art Arbole (PHI) 77-76.
154 – Brett Rankin (AUS) 77-77, Taesoo Kim (KOR) 73-81.
158 – Zeus Sara (am, PHI) 75-83.
165 – Joshua Loren Africa (USA) 81-84.
END.
+2 (142) was the final cut, 67 players made the cut
Prom Meesawat, Thailand – RT
Leandro Luis Bagtas, Phillipines – RT
Jakkanat Inmee, Thailand – RT
Gerald Rosales, Phillipines – WD
