It’s a thrilling scene unfolding at the Black Mountain Golf Club during the International Series, where Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai and India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar are lighting up the leaderboard.
Both golfers, in remarkable form, posted stellar second-round scores of six-under-par 66, following their impressive opening rounds of 65.
This puts them at a commanding total of 13-under-par in this US$2 million tournament in Hua Hin, Thailand, edging ahead of a trio of challengers: American Michael Maguire (64), Italy’s Stefano Mazzoli (65), and Canada’s Richard T. Lee (66).
The drama intensified as China’s Liu Yanwei, who shared the lead after the first round, fell back after a bogey on his final hole, finishing with a 68 and sitting just one stroke behind the leaders.
The competition remains fierce with other notable players like Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana (66), Nitithorn Thippong (68), England’s Matt Killen (67), Mexico’s Santiago De la Fuente (68), and Australian Kevin Yuan (68), all trailing just one stroke further back.
Suteepat’s Surge
Suteepat is on a roll, fresh off his victory at the Yeangder TPC in Chinese Taipei just three weeks ago.
Currently holding ninth place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, this two-time winner is demonstrating remarkable consistency.
“I’m very happy about my score, I’m doing very well. My game is very good now,” he shared with palpable enthusiasm.
At 31, Suteepat has clearly found his groove after making some adjustments to his swing this year.
“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 added.
Starting on the back nine, Suteepat’s momentum gathered pace as he rattled off three consecutive birdies from the 15th hole.
Despite two bogeys, his total of eight birdies underscored his potent play and strategic execution on the course.
Bhullar’s Comeback
Gaganjeet Bhullar, who boasts an impressive record of 11 wins on the Asian Tour, has faced challenges this season, including a nagging hip issue that saw him miss three cuts.
However, his resilience is shining through, as evidenced by his performance this week.
“You know, mentally, I think I’m probably as sharp or as strong as I played last year,” Bhullar reflected on his journey this season.
“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.”
With a total of 15 birdies and only two bogeys over two days, Bhullar is reminding everyone of his formidable skill.
His history at Black Mountain is noteworthy; he still holds the course record with a breathtaking nine-under-par performance from 2009.
“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,” he remarked, setting the stage for a compelling weekend ahead.
Rising Stars
Mazzoli is carving out a solid first season on the Asian Tour, sitting at 48th on the merit list after a strong performance at the International Series Morocco.
“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.”
Meanwhile, Liu Yanwei showed flashes of brilliance but faltered at the end. “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,” he noted.
American John Catlin, a local in Hua Hin, is lurking just three shots off the pace with a round of 65. As he aims to consolidate his lead on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings, the pressure is on.
With the competition heating up and only two days left, all eyes are on Black Mountain Golf Club as these talented players battle for supremacy in this exciting chapter of The International Series.
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