Rattanon roars on for Macao lead

Macau: Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan kept up his unrelenting pace at the Macao Open on Friday by adding a second-round four-under-par 66 to his opening 61 to keep the lead.
Rattanon is 13 under for the US$1 million tournament and has a two-shot lead over fellow Thai Gunn Charoenkul, who fired a 64.
Suteepat Prateeptienchai made it a monopoly for Thailand so far after returning a 63 to sit third, a shot further back, at the par-70 Macau Golf & Country Club.
All three played in the morning, a definite advantage as the wind picked up later in the day.
“I’m happy with my score today, if I can shoot four under every day, I’m very happy,” said Rattanon, who has his girlfriend Manuschaya Zeemakorn, a Thai LPGA Tour player, caddying for him.
“If I hit my tee shots well it’s good for me on this course, because there are a lot of wedges into the greens.
“I think Thai players have played this course so many times, maybe that’s why they are playing well.”
Rattanon, tied for fourth in the Taiwan Masters last weekend for his best result of the season, is in search of a second title on the Asian Tour. He won the 2017 Thailand Open and famously came close to a second win in 2022 when he was beaten by Korea’s Tom Kim, now a star on the PGA Tour, at the Singapore International, following a sudden-death playoff.
Gunn is in the hunt despite his game not being under control.
“I couldn’t really hit the ball on line,” he said, “so, I’m just aiming everything left and play like a 30-yard slice, really. But my putter has been good, you know, really feeling it this week, and it’s been working all week.”
The 32-year-old is considered one of the best players yet to win on the Asian Tour and is drawing inspiration from his roommate Suteepat — who won the Yeangder TPC two weeks ago.
He added: “My roommate “Tee” [Suteepat] is igniting the fire in me. He already has two wins in the bag, and I’m out here like 10 years and have no wins. I’ve really been grinding it out over the past two weeks. I really learned a lot, how to manage my game better, and not to fix my swing, you know, the same old stuff on the course.”
Taiwan’s Liu Yung-hua carded a 67 and is in fourth place. John Catlin came in with a 65 and is in a group of players five off the lead.
Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert, joint second at the Taiwan Masters and the champion here in 2016, returned his second 66, and is tied with Catlin.