SARIT ESTABLISHES THREE-SHOT LEAD AT HALFWAY POINT OF SJM MACAO OPEN
[Macao SAR, 17 October, 2025]: Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut, armed with a new swing, putter, and shafts, marched into the lead at the SJM Macao Open today.
The 26-year-old took charge of the US$1 million 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.
China’s Wenyi Ding, the joint first-round leader with Thailand’s Gunn Charoenkul, is also in that group after a 69. Gunn fell back after a 71 and is six under.
Sarit, winner of the Indonesian Masters 2022 and Volvo China Open 2023, has had a relatively quiet season. He is currently in 34th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit – principally thanks to two top-12 finishes in his last two events. These have been the highlights of his season so far – the result of adjustments to his swing and equipment that appear to have got him back on track.
“I have done a few things. I was just swinging my arms and not turning my body. I changed to softer shafts so I can hit a cut more easily plus I have a different putter – that’s been important and working well,” he said.
His eagle on the 18th was the result of a giant eight-iron second shot on a 576-yard hole.
“I think it was all about putting today,” he added.
“Even though I had two three-putts, I still made a lot of birdie putts. I missed one three-footer, but other than that I made everything, so it’s the putter that kept the momentum going.
For sure, I never change my plan. If I have a chance to be aggressive, I will always be aggressive. You’ve got to commit to the shot and then hit. A bad shot is still a bad shot, so I’m going to stick to my plan.”
Sarit is one of the strongest drivers on Tour – an attribute not always essential at Macau Golf & Country Club, where accuracy is key. However, the man nicknamed “Safe” was long and straight today, making an eagle, seven birdies, and two bogeys. Surprisingly, he three-putted the 16th for a bogey from 30 feet.
Thirteen years ago, Ye Wocheng made headlines when, at the age of 12, he became the youngest player to compete in the Volvo China Open.
Birdies on the last three holes, as well as three on the trot from the sixth, saw him in the spotlight today.
“I made a double on a par-five, the 13th, so to make birdies on the last three was a great comeback,” said the 24-year-old, whose English name is Aden.
“It will be good momentum going into the next two rounds. I think all the clubs are working pretty well, and especially my putting, so hopefully I can keep going.”
Ye turned professional five years ago and has been playing on both the China and Canadian Tours, winning twice on the former in 2021. He attended the Eagles Dream Golf Academy in Orlando with Bobby Bai in the late 2010s.
Bai finished joint fourth in a Challenge Tour event in China last week and moved up the leaderboard this morning with four birdies in a row from the third.
“I got my iron shots back,” he said. “My ball striking is pretty good this week and last week as well. Tee shots are getting much better from last month, and this week my putting is going pretty well.”
Veteran Siddikur Rahman, aged 40 and a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, was equally delighted with his round – on a short course that suits his accurate play.
“Overall it was a great round. I give credit to my short game. I’m doing great, especially with my putting, and my shots are also quite okay – I’m not complaining. Overall, it was a very good first two days.
This is a narrow course. Honestly, I like this course because it’s not that long. It’s just a placing golf course, so I just try to stay on the fairway and hit the greens. That’s what I’ve been doing.”
Jack Thompson made his move, helped by working with an “in-form” caddie, Adrian Verroca, who was on the bag for Wade Ormsby when he won the Jakarta International Championship two weeks ago.
“Really good to have him here,” said Thompson. “Obviously, he’s proven from two weeks ago. He just kept me pretty level. I think we’re pretty similar in personalities. We never get too up or down. So yeah, just helping me out, and I’m doing really well, considering it’s just been a week that we’ve met. So yeah, happy.”
Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho came in with a 69 and is four under, along with Korea’s Sungjae Im, who fired a 71. Defending champion Rattanon Wannasrichan from Thailand is also tied with them after a 68.
Kho found himself in one of the strangest situations on the course when his father, who had been following his group, stepped in to caddie for John Catlin, one of his playing partners, whose caddie had to stop due to heatstroke.
China’s Haotong Li is one stroke back after a 67, while England’s Lee Westwood, winner of this event 26 years ago, bounced back with a 68 after an opening 74 but missed the cut by three. Local hope Kelvin Si Ngai is also out after a second-round 73, finishing at one-over after two rounds.
In its 22-year history, the Macao Open has grown into a highlight of the Asian Tour calendar, graced by major champions such as Ernie Els, Nick Faldo, Fred Couples, Padraig Harrington, and Vijay Singh. Zhang Lianwei, the pioneer of golf in China, has won the prestigious event twice and is the only golfer to have defended his title in the tournament’s history.
For the first time on the Asian Tour, fans can track their favorite players with the Player Locator. By scanning QR codes around the course, visitors can access the SJM Macao Open 2025 interactive map to follow the action in real-time.
