Zarate trails Indian by four

Filipino Danny Zarate shot a two-under-par 70 yesterday to trail Indian Arjun Atwal by four strokes at the start of the rich Kolon Cup Korean Open of the Asian PGA Tour at the Seoul Country Club in Seoul, Korea.

Zarate’s solid round gave him a share of 10th place in the 15th leg of the $365,000 Davidoff Tour even as Cassius Casas launched his bid with a 73 .He is to embark on a tougher mission in the US PGA Tour next week.

The 33-year-old Casas, who will try to become the first Filipino to join the world’s most prestigious pro circuit, found himself bunched in 47th place with 13 others, while the other local player in the fold, Rodrigo Cuello, limped home with a 76 and would need a solid round to survive the 36-hole cut.

Atwal, winner of last year’s Wills Indian Open in Calcutta, turned in a near-flawless six-under-par 66 to seize a one-stroke lead over Koreans Ahn Joo-hwan and Cho Hyun-jun, who both fired 67s.

Veteran Choi Sang-ho stood at 68 with fellow Koreans Kang Wook-soon and Han Young-kun, while Scot Simon Yates carded a 69 for a share of seventh place with Lee Hae-woo and Lim Hyung-soo.