In-form Suteepat Prateeptienchai from Thailand and Indian Gaganjeet Bhullar both added second-round six-under-par 66s to their opening day 65s to take the lead at the Black Mountain Championship today.
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They have reached 13-under for the US$2 million event here at Black Mountain Golf Club, in Hua Hin, Thailand, and lead by one from American Michael Maguire (64), Italian Stefano Mazzoli (65) and Canadian Richard T. Lee (66).
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China’s Liu Yanwei, the joint-first round leader, was in a share of the lead playing the last but made a bogey and returned a 68 to also be one back.
Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana (66) and Nitithorn Thippong (68), Englishman Matt Killen (67), Mexico’s Santiago De la Fuente (68), plus Australian Kevin Yuan (68) are an additional stroke back – in the fifth event of The International Series season on the Asian Tour.
Suteepat won the Yeangder TPC in Chinese-Taipei three weeks ago and sitting in ninth place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit continues to go from strength to strength, rarely putting a foot wrong.
“I’m very happy about my score, I’m doing very well. My game is very good now,” said the 31-year-old, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, having claimed last year’s Taiwan Glass Taifong Open – also in Chinese-Taipei.
“I changed my swing a little bit this year, and it’s made me more confident. Yeah, and after winning I’ve been feeling relaxed because I don’t have to worry about keeping my card, so I play for fun. It’s very good.”
He started on the back nine and made his move with three birdies on-the-trot from the 15th. He made eight birdies in total and two bogies, one of those coming on his last which saw him slip back into a tie.
Bhullar is India’s most successful player on the Asian Tour, with 11 magnificent wins, but he has been conspicuous by his absence this season on the leaderboard.
He has been battling to find his form due to a sore hip and missed the last three cuts but after two fine rounds this week the serial winner looks to be getting back on track in time for the business end to the season.
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Said Bhullar, whose most recent win was last year’s BNI Indonesian Masters, also part of The International Series: “You know, mentally, I think I’m probably as sharp or as strong as I played last year. This year physically, I’ve been struggling a bit with my hip. It’s not an injury, it’s not a sports related injury, but I’m just not feeling … You know, the first half [of the season], that was the reason I struggled a bit. But now towards the second half, I think I’m getting my momentum right and the body is feeling in good shape. Definitely feeling the mojo back. And I think the last few tournaments of the year, I would definitely expect myself to play well.”
He has made 15 birdies in two days and registered just two bogeys – in keeping with a player who holds the course record here.
“I still hold the lowest course record here, nine under back in 2009,” said the 36-year-old.
“You know, this is probably one of my favourite golf courses on the Asian Tour. I’ve played here a bunch of times. In fact, in the off season, I used to come and practice here for a couple of weeks whenever I used to get off. And, you know, it’s a great layout. Anybody who’s putting well definitely has an advantage. And as I said, one of my favourite venues, I expect to play well on the weekend.”
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Mazzoli is enjoying a fine first season on the Asian Tour having finished eighth at this year’s Qualifying School, and currently sits in 48th place on the Merit list – helped by finishing in a tie for fifth at the International Series Morocco in July.
“I’m pretty pleased, I’ve been playing well,” said the Italian.
“I played really good last week in China on the Challenge Tour, so it’s good to come here. I’ve been pretty steady both days. Yesterday maybe I made a couple of bad mistakes, but I’m really pleased. Pretty consistent, hopefully I can keep it going.”
Lee looked set to also finish 13 under, helped by successive birdies on the outward half, but he dropped a shot on the penultimate hole.
He said: “I definitely made a lot of putts, even yesterday and today. I had a good five birdie stretch on the front nine, and just couldn’t really convert any birdie putts on the back nine. Unfortunately, I had a tough 30-yard bunker shot on 17 that caused me to make a bogey, but I think there’s still a lot of golf left the next two days, so we’ll see what happens.”
John Catlin carded a 65 and is just three behind the leaders. The American, who lives in Hua Hin when competing in Asia, is once again in position to consolidate his lead on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings.
