Thaworn seven shots behind Woods after a fine 69
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Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant maintained his superb run at the WGC-Cadillac Championship with a second straight three-under-par 69 to lie in tied 10th position at the halfway stage on Friday.
The reigning Asian Tour No 1 holds a two-day total of six-under-par 138, which is seven shots behind leader Tiger Woods, who added a 65 to his opening 66 for a two-shot lead at the TPC Blue Monster in Doral.
Thaworn earned his place in the elite 65-man field by virtue of winning the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit last season where he won three times to take his career tally to an unprecedented 15 victories.
The 46-year-old Thai, Asia’s oldest No 1, has also been invited to play in the Masters Tournament at Augusta National next month, becoming the fourth Thai to play in the year’s opening Major. During the second round, Thaworn was brilliant, as he fired six birdies, including four during a five-hole stretch after the turn, to stay in the hunt for a strong week in the second WGC event of the year.
Thaworn will play alongside Ian Poulter of England in the third round.
The Thai said: “The weather was calm today which benefited me. My putting has been working well these two days. I have focussed on hitting the fairways and put the ball in the right place on the greens so that I can finish my putting without much trouble. Luckily the wind was not so strong. Only problem was that I felt dull on the back nine on both days. Maybe I’m still a bit jet lagged. I don’t care if I’m in the top-10. I just want to avoid being in the last place! I just play hole by hole as best as I can. On the difficult holes, I will try not to make worse than bogey. The course is not really suited to my game, so I have to plan well.
“I hope my putting will still work well for next two days.”
Australia’s Marcus Fraser, who earned his place in Doral after finishing second on the Order of Merit, shot a level par 72 to lie in tied 48th position.
