Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut, armed with a new swing, putter and shafts, marched into the lead at the SJM Macao Open today – looking every bit the golfer who has won two of the biggest titles on the Asian Tour.
The 26-year-old took charge of the US$1million event by making a brilliant 20-foot eagle putt on the par-five 18th to shoot a third-round seven-under-par 63.
It is the joint-lowest round of the week and saw him take the lead on 12-under, by three shots from Wocheng Ye – the unsung Chinese golfer, who carded a 66.
Ye’s compatriot and former college mate Bobby Bai (67), Australians Jack Thompson (68) and Brett Rankin (66), Germany’s Dominic Foos (68) and Siddikur Rahman (66) from Bangladesh, are another stroke back.
𝗝𝗢𝗜𝗡 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬
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[Music] It’s not the longest golf course that we play on the Asian Tour, but you better be keeping your ball on the short grass because there are plenty of pitfalls around this 6700 yd layout. Green stimping a little quicker than they were in the opening round. Well, let’s show you what transpired already this Friday morning. And Tai Chico was two over par for his round through the first eight holes. And here at the par 36 will set up his second birdie of the round. Will add one more birdie coming home safely into the weekend at four under par. And Sean Ramos is enjoying a brilliant run of holes. Hold out his second shot at the first. Then birdie the 500yd par4 at second. And this birdie putt at the fourth to move to six under par for the round. China’s Bobby Bai got it green high with his T-shot at the short seventh. Plenty of greens to work with. Lovely touch there from Bobby who’s got two top 10s of the age of Tour already this season. That would lead to a birdie taking him to eight under par. Jack Thompson the Aussie fortunately coming off a run of five straight miscuts. But a nice birdie there to close out the round for Jack. A 68 for him today. That leaves him at 8 in the barn like Bobby B. [Music] Some spectacular golf played this morning from Yay Wo Chung who’s only made one cut on the Asian Tour this year. Three birdies in a row to finish for a round of 66 and to post nine underpar at the halfway stage. Brilliant golfing the young Chinese player. And as is always the case, it’s a little breezy out there. And there are plenty of birdies to be made round the Macau Golf and Country Club Junk leading by one over the threesome of Bai Thompson and Brett Rankin. Situ Raman putting together a very nice round. Three underpower with just one hole left to play for Bangladesh’s finest. No progress made for the overnight leaders and Geronkun. And he’s a man who knows how to fit his game into any golf course. Not the longest hitter, but he’s pretty accurate. Sakur Raman. Nicely played into the last good birdie opportunity to join the group at 800. Now Pratipai needs to throw it all the way high. Quite a steep up slope. He’s done very well. Yeah. [Music] Raman for birdie on the last. Oh, great way to end for Sitico. Raman playing alongside Sitico. This is J for a birdie. Some good scoring there in that group. Alers for a birdie. Yeah, well hold Yako gets him back to where he began the day at three under par. Well done. Not a birdie on his card, but he keeps his scorecard clean. Just seen all rule in a nice birdie. But can Samson Zen do the same? Oh, yes, he can. They’re matching each other shot for shots in Zane. 133 you mentioned plays 5 yards downhill 128. That’s the difficulty of this hole is you just feel like you’re supposed to hit it three or four feet and that flag if you don’t hit a quality wedge shot can uh lead to some issues on the right edge. This has no issues. Thank you. It’s been a pretty solid day thus far for the American MJ Maguire. Two under on his card. Four under for the championship. This is his second to the power for seventh. And that releases along very nicely. Cross to the seventh we go Sana playing alongside MJ Maguire. He too is two under par for his round and within two of Yu Chung’s lead. Make it just one. That’s a third birdie of the day for the big tie. Former Taiwan Masters champion to another Thailand Suredit Yong Jalonjai. He’s at one underpar playing his second to the far eighth. I just can’t imagine that that was his target cuz that’s 12 yards from the jungle left. Nonetheless, very basic up and down right here. There’s a reason that man got number one in the world in Westwood. Long bunker shot at the short eight. Look at that. Nice. Get a good amount of spin. That’s nicely played from the tie. If you’re uphill from 5T, it takes like a second. Gravity doesn’t have as much time to take over. So you always play more break on the downhiller and try and diet in the high side. Straight in the middle. Back to back birdies for Lee Westwood. See him up to three over. Get that cut line still hanging around at one under par. [Music] Three birdies in a row and the tie moves into a share of the lead with Y Wo Chung and still has plenty of golf to play. Our first look of the week at the Swede Bejorn Elgrren second shot to the ninth. He’s another player in need of a couple of birdies. That’ll do just nicely. Fantastic touch by Westwood. That should be a confirmed birdie. Now to our co- commentator from Thursday’s action gun is having a really rough start to his Friday. Four overpart to this point. Looks good. [Music] W looks great. Just a little cleaning up for Willy’s birdie at eight. Yeah, played that hole very nicely. Made it simple. Just hit your T-shot to the front edge of the green. Little tip tap in. Back to seven under bar. [Music] Dominic Fouse gets himself back to seven under power with a timely birdie at eight. [Music] Zen constantly rolls that in. Back to level par for the round. [Music] And he was going along so nicely as well. And just like that, a three putt from out of the blue tumbles on a rut out of a share of the lead. Second shot into the 12 or third shot into the 12 for MJ Maguire. This is a tough shot with the whole location. Has to make sure he clears at least pin high. Oh, he’s got a dead pin high. Perfect shot by MJ. Yeah. No, he’s the only other option besides trying to fly it up top is to bounce it into that massively steep slope and that is very precarious. So you got to air on the side of caution here. Make sure you get it on that top level with a little lob shot. If you run past, you take your medicine with a downhiller or just jar it. It was a straightforward up and down. What do you know? It’s a man you’re well accustomed to, Mr. Kang. The legendary Langwin Chong. Yeah, had to constantly look up above me on the leaderboard because that’s where he was. It’s a slick one for Samson Zen, but it is for birdie. Just breathe on it. It’ll get there. Center cup. Well, hold for Samson. It’s a pair of birdie since making the turn. Another tap in birdie. [Music] That looked pretty simple. Good three for MJ Maguire. Keeps him at six under. Now Westwood hitting his third shot. to the 13th or opening round of 72 for Sweden’s Shorley Lind, but he’s picked up some birdies today. This is his second to the 15th. He’s four under for his round and two under for the championship. He’s got to make them all. Lee Westwood. Okay. Keeps the glimmer of hope alive. Gun the comebacker for par at 11. Oh yes, bravely hold. Well done, Gun. Now Yako facing this fairly quick downhill birdie attempt. Yes, Yako. Your first birdie of the round. Never a bad time to make your first one. Well done, Yaku. [Music] Nice birdie there at the par five for one. All right, MJ Magguire for his third birdie on his past four holes. Well done, Michael Magguire returning to the form that he had at the end of last year. S with his birdie attempt to stretch the lead to two. Good stroke early walk. Nicely done. Bunk it on 15 is Westy. [Music] Come on in. Go in. Wow. I just got to have the ball land just about 4 feet short of the hole and that uphill slope will kill the ball. Nicely done. A similar shot to Swanat just landing on the into the grain portion. Oh, splendid subject of a another excellent time to rise feature on the Asian media Asian tour media social team. Encourage you to go over and check it out on Instagram and social media platforms. The enlightening stuff. That’s a nice birdie for Chanzi Chang. Bogey free on the day. Only play in this group to keep a clean scorecard. He gets it to four under potart. It is eight. He’s asking it to go its right of the hole. Now he’s asking to sit down. It listened. Penai for sedan. He’ll have that for an eagle. He reacted initially like he thought he made it and then took a stutter step like, “Oh, maybe not.” And boom, there you go. Nice putt. Nice round. First page of the leaderboard, Anthony. Certainly, you know, one of the more accomplished players on that first page. Yes, absolutely. And that’s going to help him because he’ll be able to deal with the nerves of playing in the final group even though it’s going to be a Saturday, but just drawing on that experience having been through it and especially with the three-shot lead. Thanks for watching Asian on YouTube. Don’t forget to like and subscribe.
1 Comment
Certainly an improvement on Day 1 higlights which was just putting.