Credit: Asian Tour
Poom surges into halfway lead
Thailand’s Poom Pattaropong rode a hot putter to sign for a six-under-par 65 and grab a share of the lead with local amateur Natthaphat Harnchokchaiskul at the halfway stage of the Thailand Open on Friday.
The 24-year-old Poom, who came through the Asian Tour Qualifying School last December, nailed eight birdies against two bogeys to equal the two-day efforts of overnight leader Natthaphat (70) on eight-under-par 134 total at the Thai Country Club.
The leading duo holds a one-shot advantage over home favourite Prom Meesawat (67), Australia’s Andrew Martin (68), India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu (67) and S.S.P. Chawrasia (67) at the US$300,000 full-field Asian Tour event.
Newly crowned Asian Tour champion Suradit Yongcharoenchai of Thailand continued his fine form by carding a 68 to move within two shots off the lead. He sits in seventh place alongside countryman Charng-Tai Sudsom (68) and Chinese Taipei’s Wang Wei-hsuan (69) on 135.
India’s Shiv Kapur, who opened his campaign with a 74, took a great leap forward after creating a new course record on the par-71 set-up with his blistering round of 63.
The 37-year-old Kapur settled three shots off the pace in tied-10th position with a host of players which include American John Catlin (70) and Phachara Khongwatmai (72) of Thailand.
The halfway cut was set at one-over par 143 with 78 players, included three amateurs, progressing into the weekend rounds.
The Thailand Open marks the start of the Asian Tour’s 2019/20 Panasonic Swing, which is a ranking based on an aggregate point race that spans five events with the final top-three players chasing a share of a lucrative bonus pool.
Scores after round 2 of the Thailand Open 2019 being played at the par 71, 7198 Yards Thai CC course (am - denotes amateur):
134 - Poom Pattaropong (THA) 69-65, Natthaphat Harnchokchaiskul (am, THA) 64-70.
135 - Prom Meesawat (THA) 68-67, Andrew Martin (AUS) 67-68, Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND) 68-67, S.S.P. Chawrasia (IND) 68-67.
136 - Wang Wei-hsuan (TPE) 67-69, Charng-Tai Sudsom (THA) 68-68, Suradit Yongcharoenchai (THA) 68-68.
137 - Peradol Panyathanasedh (THA) 69-68, Raththee Sirithanakunsak (THA) 69-68, Shiv Kapur (IND) 74-63, John Catlin (USA) 67-70, Nopparat Panichphol (THA) 70-67, Wang Wei-lun (TPE) 70-67, Phachara Khongwatmai (THA) 65-72.
138 - Vanchai Luangnitikul (am, THA) 69-69, Soomin Lee (KOR) 66-72, Ben Leong (MAS) 71-67, Travis Smyth (AUS) 70-68.
139 - Amir Nazrin (MAS) 70-69, Heungchol Joo (KOR) 70-69, Nicholas Fung (MAS) 72-67, Daniel Fox (AUS) 67-72, Joohyung Kim (KOR) 68-71, Taewoo Kim #1468 (KOR) 69-70, Chris Rodgers (ENG) 72-67, Steven Jeffress (AUS) 67-72, Jake Higginbottom (AUS) 70-69, Thaya Limpipolpaibul (THA) 66-73.