Que four off pace; Miñoza struggles

Reigning Philippine Open champion Angelo Que turned in a second straight two-under par 68 even as erstwhile frontrunner Frankie Miñoza stumbled with a two-over 72 halfway through the Hong Kong Open at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling yesterday.

Que, seeking to cap a banner year with a victory in the $2.5 million event, strung up nines of 33-35 on three birdies against a lone bogey on No. 8 as he jumped from joint 25th to a share of 15th with a 136, four shots behind South African Louis Oosthuizen, who sizzled with an eight-under 62 to catch Englishmen Oliver Wilson and Oliver Fisher and Thai Chawalit Plaphol at the helm with a 132.

Oosthuizen, who has won three titles on the home circuit, enjoyed a bogey free round with eight birdies while Wilson fired six birdies against two dropped shots for his second straight 66.

Fisher carded a 65 while Plaphol shot a 66 to force a four-way tie for the lead.

Italy’s Francesco Molinari fired a 67 to lead the 133 scorers, who included Scot Colin Montgomerie and erstwhile leader Richard Sterne of South Africa while Que was joined in at 15th with American John Daly, who had a 68, and former two-time Major winner Bernhard Langer of Germany, who turned in a 67.

Miñoza, teeing off at the backside, made a horrendous 8 on the par-4 11th and went on to fire four birdies against two bogeys for a 32-40 card and a 36-hole haul of 137, dropping from joint third to a share of 22nd with a host of others, including compatriot Artemio Murakami, who matched par 70.

Juvic Pagunsan and Tony Lascuna also made it to the weekend play with a second straight 70 for 140s.

Sumcad, Dumandan trail leader by two

Orlan Sumcad and Marvin Dumandan took up the cudgels for the Filipino pros as first day leader Cassius Casas failed to sustain his charge even as Thailand’s Pravee Visalkit broke the course record with a seven-under-par 65 to take the halfway lead in the Mercedes-Benz Masters Vietnam yesterday.

Pravee nailed eight birdies in a brilliant round at Van Tri Golf Club in Hanoi for five-under-par 139 to lead by two strokes over Sumcad and Dumandan.

Sumcad returned a 67 while Dumandan came in with a 69 on a day that witnessed low scores.

Casas struggled in with a 73 after a pacesetting 69 for a tie at third at 142 with compatriot Michael Bibat who had a 72, Malaysia’s Lim Eng Seng (73-69), Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert (70-72) and Chaiput Darapanich (74-68).

 Another Filipino standout, Jay Bayron, was a shot bind at 143 following a 70. 

 “That’s definitely my best round as a professional. I made one bogey and could not stop making birdies. I wish every day felt like that,” said Pravee.

He started his round on the back nine with birdies on 11, 14, 15 and 17 to make the turn in four-under-par 32.

His only dropped shot came on number three before he stormed home with three birdies on the trot from the fifth and a birdie on his final hole.

Leading second round scores:

 139 - Pravee Visalkit (THA) 74-65

141 - Orlan Sumcad (PHI) 74-67, Marvin Dumandan (PHI) 72-69

142 - Lim Eng Seng (MAS) 73-69, Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA) 70-72,

Chaiput Darapanich (THA) 74-68, Michael Bibat (PHI) 70-72, Felix Casas (PHI) 69-73

143 - Jay Bayron (PHI) 73-70, Kwanchai Tannin (THA) 72-71, Tseng Shih-Hsin (TWN) 74-69, Wisut Artjanawat (THA) 76-67.

Aunzo limps to 74 in Indon Am Open

Ferdie Aunzo sputtered on his homeward trip and fumbled with a two-over 74, falling back again by four behind Indonesian Andik Mauludin in the third round of the Indonesian Amateur Open at the Imperial Klub Golf in Indonesia yesterday.

Aunzo, who threatened within one shot off the lead with a 70 Thursday, bogeyed two of the last five holes for that 74 as the ICTSI team standout reeled back with a one-under 215, four behind Mauludin, who surged ahead by four again with a 71 for a 211.

Arya Kamsuri matched par 72 and remained in third with a 220 while Anthony Saban carded a 72 to move to joint 18th with Jerson Balasabas, who made a 78, at 237.

Over in China, Chihiro Ikeda scored an 8-over 80 under tough playing condition to trail leader Li Jia-yun by six at the start of the China Women’s Amateur at the Nanhai Peach Garden Golf Club in Foshan City, Guangzhou.

Li bucked the windy conditions and carded a 74 to post a one-stroke lead over compatriot Shi Xiao-ying, who had a 75, while Mai Jin-wei and Gu Guo-yan made 76 and 77, respectively.

Louise Manalo carded an 81 for joint 12th while ICTSI teammate Sarah Ababa and Anya Tanpinco groped for form with 84 and 85, respectively.

In men’s play, Rufino Bayron improved with a 73 but still stood too far behind Ye Jian-feng and Su Dong with a 277 aggregate with one round to play. Ye shot a 71 while Su rallied with a 68 to share the lead at 214. — end it//thanks