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.
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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.
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“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.”
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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.
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“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.
