RP Cuppers move to joint 8th with 65

The Philippines moved in the threshold of a record finish in the World Cup as Angelo Que and Mars Pucay combined for a superb seven-under 65 to gain a share of eighth place with Canada and Denmark after three rounds of play at the Mission Hills Golf Club in Dongguan, China yesterday.

A bogey mishap on the final hole ruined what could have been a remarkable round for Que and Pucay, who sizzled with a five-under 31 after nines of the better-ball format then closed out with a 34 for that 65 and a 12-under aggregate of 204.

They stood 10 strokes behind Spain and Australia but well within sight of a top five finish with one round left in the $5.5 million event.

At joint eighth, the RP bets are looking for a $140,000 prize or roughly P6.7 million but Que and Pucay will have to double their effort against the expected charge of the big guns in the final round when play shifts from fourball to a tougher foursomes format.

Que and Pucay blew a three-under card and settled for an even par 72 in Friday’s alternate shot format.

Australia fired a nine-under 63 to catch Spain, carding a 67, at the helm at 194, four shots ahead of Sweden, which had a 198 after a 66.

Over in China, Chihiro Ikeda fumbled with a six-over 78 but kept a two-shot lead over a charging Mori Miho in the second round of the Aaron Baddeley International junior tournament at the Dragon Lake Golf Course in Guangzhou late Friday.

The 16-year-old Ikeda, who took charge with a one-under 71 Thursday to post a four-shot lead over Miho, struggled with her irons and hobbled with a 41 at the back, the frontside of her game. The top ICTSI bet had only one birdie on a chilly day, sinking a 30-footer on No. 7, finishing with a 36-hole haul of 149 for the lead.

Miho also wavered but her 76 proved enough to get her closer to Ikeda at 151.

In Japan, Frankie Miñoza birdied the 18th to settle for a three-over 75 as he tumbled down to joint 34th with one round left in the Casio World Open in Kochi, Japan yesterday.

Minoza, who stayed within three shots off the pace with a 69 in the first round then slid to joint eight with a 71 Friday, struggled all day, bogeying Nos. 2 and 11 and dropping two shots on No. 9 before holing out with a birdie for a 39-35 card.

He had a 216, 11 strokes behind Kuomei Oda, who matched par 72-205 to keep a four-shot lead over Yusaku Miyazato, who had a 209 after a two-under 70.