RP opens ‘WC’ bid with 64

The Philippines, with Rodrigo Cuello and Danny Zarate combining splendidly, fired an eight-under par 64 yesterday to share sixth place with Chile and Germany at the start of the Davidoff Nations Cup at the Royal Selangor Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Cuello and Zarate gunned down eight birdies in a bogey-free round under the four-ball, better ball format in the four-day event serving as the qualifier for this year’s World Cup of Golf in Japan.

The Filipinos stood four shots off pacesetter Norway, whose stirring 12-under 60 gave Per Haugsrud and Henrik Bjornstad a two-shot lead over the Brazilian tandem of Joao Corteiz and Ronaldo Francisco and Chinese pair of Zhang Lian-wei and Liang Wen-chong, which both had 62s.

Twelve two-man teams from Asia are clashing with their Western Zone rivals for the top six berths in the World Cup in November where Tiger Woods is leading the title-retention bid of the United States.

Under the format, the four-ball better ball is played on the first and third days while the foursomes (or alternate shot format) will be used on the second and final days.

The Philippines is trying to make it to the World Cup proper for the second time in four years after the tandem of Cassius Casas and Zarate finished 26th in the 1997 edition of the event at the Kiawah Island in South Carolina.