Todd Sinnott and Richard Green have put themselves in prime position to win Asian Tour cards after stellar second rounds at Q-school in Thailand yesterday.
The Victorian duo share the lead at a remarkable 15 under alongside Japan’s Junya Kameshiro at the Suvarnabhumi Golf and Country Club.
Green, 45, whose plan to use his European Tour career money exemption was thwarted by an extraordinary set of late-season results, peeled off a scintillating 63 on the East-South course to join his fellow Melburnian.
But not to be outdone, Sinnott followed his opening 64 with a flawless 65 on the West-North course to remain in a share of the lead.
And he did so with help from a most unlikely partnership – a local caddie who barely speaks a word of English.
Despite their language barrier, Sinnott used sound visual advice and went on a back-nine birdie blitz, with five of his seven for the day on the inward half against only one bogey in the opening 36 holes.
“My caddie is really cool and she’s making me laugh quite a lot which is good,” Sinnott said.
“She doesn’t speak much English and I don’t speak any Thai, but we are always laughing and joking and trying to stay as relaxed as possible.
“Body language is a big thing as we are trying really hard to understand what each of us is saying. It’s quite funny.”
Sinnott admitted after his round that he hadn’t met his expectations in key events around Australia earlier this summer, but has come back from a Christmas break feeling positive.
“I didn’t perform as well as I would like to in my last few events in Australia, so I had a little break over Christmas and I feel refreshed and I’m enjoying my golf now, which is nice,” he said.
“I’m just trying to stay as relaxed as possible and the last two rounds are probably the finest I’ve had in a while.”
Sinnott also gave credit to fellow Victorian Jack Wilson, who shot a 68 today to reach six under – safely inside the -4 cut for the top 100 players plus ties.
“I’m staying with Jack this week and we’re really having quite some fun together with the other Aussie guys, so it has been a fun week.”
Green has higher aims than simply making the top 35 that will earn status on the 2017 Asian Tour schedule.
“I had a nice couple of days and I’ve been hitting it good and putting nicely and I hope to keep it going,” he said.
“It’s a foot in the door and that’s what you always aim to do each time you play.
“I need to work hard again tomorrow and keep putting myself into position … and try to finish off the week in the No.1 spot.”
Other Aussies to make the cut included amateur Austin Bautista and his fellow New South Welshman Jake Higginbottom at seven under, Wilson and Nathan Miller at six under, Adam Blyth Neven Basic, Jarryd Felton, Marcus Both Junseok Lee and Unho Park at five under, the latter after a superb 66, and Brad Smith, Martin Dive, Scott Barr and Nathan Buzimkic at four under.
Aussies to bow out of the 220-man field were Rick Kulacz (-3), Adam Groom and David Gleeson (both +5).