Suteepat, Bhullar share Rd. 2 Int'l Series Black Mountain lead; LIV Golf names lurk

At the halfway point of the International Series' Black Mountain Championship, Suteepat Prateeptienchai from Thailand and Indian Gaganjeet Bhullar share the lead after adding matching 6-under 66s in Round 2 to their opening day 65s.

They've jumped to the top of the leaderboard after a low scoring first two days at Black Mountain Golf Club, in Hua Hin, Thailand, and lead American Michael Maguire (64), Italian Stefano Mazzoli (65), Canadian Richard T. Lee (66) and China’s Liu Yanwei (68) by a single stroke.

Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana (66) and Nitithorn Thippong (68), Englishman Matt Killen (67), Mexico’s Santiago De la Fuente (68), plus Australian Kevin Yuan (68) are an additional stroke back.

Some familiar LIV Golf League names are also lurking within striking distance, including John Caitlin (65), who contributed as a LIV Golf reserve player last season. Scott Vincent (68) who played last season for Iron Heads GC, his brother Kieran Vincent (69), who played last season for Legion XIII, Jinichiro Kozuma (68), who played last season for Iron Heads GC, and RangeGoats GC's Peter Uihlein (69).

It's the first tournament of the six-event sprint to The International Series season finish, with all eyes on a coveted spot on the LIV Golf League in 2025 at season's end.

Suteepat continues to go from strength to strength, co-leading at the halfway mark of this event, after winning the Yeangder TPC in Chinese-Taipei three weeks ago and sitting in ninth place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

“I’m very happy about my score, I’m doing very well. My game is very good now,” said the 31-year-old, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, having claimed last year’s Taiwan Glass Taifong Open – also in Chinese-Taipei.

“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 started on the back nine and made his move with three straight birdies on 15, 16 and 17. He made eight birdies in total and two bogeys, one of those coming on his last which saw him slip back into a tie.

Bhullar is India’s most successful player on the Asian Tour, with 11 wins, but he has been conspicuous by his absence this season on the leaderboard.

He has been battling to find his form due to a sore hip and missed the last three cuts, but after two fine rounds this week, he looks to be getting back on track in time for the business end to the season.

Said Bhullar, whose most recent win was last year’s BNI Indonesian Masters, also part of The International Series: “You know, mentally, I think I’m probably as sharp or as strong as I played last year. 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.”

He has made 15 birdies in two days and registered just two bogeys – in keeping with a player who holds the course record here.

“I still hold the lowest course record here, nine under back in 2009,” said the 36-year-old.

“You know, this is probably one of my favorite golf courses on the Asian Tour. I’ve played here a bunch of times. In fact, in the offseason, 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 favorite venues, I expect to play well on the weekend.”

Mazzoli is enjoying a fine first season on the Asian Tour having finished eighth at this year’s Qualifying School, and currently sits in 48th place on the Merit list – helped by finishing in a tie for fifth at the International Series Morocco in July.

“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 two days. Yesterday maybe I made a couple of bad mistakes, but I’m really pleased. Pretty consistent, hopefully I can keep it going.”

Lee looked set to also finish 13 under, helped by successive birdies on the outward half, but he dropped a shot on the penultimate hole.

He said: “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.”

Catlin sits just three behind the leaders. The American, who lives in Hua Hin when competing in Asia, is the leader of both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings.

American Pierre-Henri Soero and Australian Todd Sinnott – the other joint first-round leaders with Liu and Thailand’s CharngTai Sudsom – carded 72s and are five behind the leaders. CharngTai fell back with a 73 and is seven under.