Que, Pucay trail by 10 after a 68

MANILA, Philippines - Angelo Que and Mars Pucay combined for a four-under 68 but fell behind by a mile as the rest of the field ripped the Mission Hills Golf Club with super low rounds under the four-balls format at the start of the World Cup of Golf in Shenzhen, China yesterday.

Que knocked down four birdies against a bogey while Pucay added one birdie for the Philippines’ 34-34 round at the par-72 layout which took a severe beating from some of the world’s top shotmakers.

Ireland, bannered by Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, sizzled with 12 birdies and eagle-3 on the par-5 15th for a 14-under 58 for a three-shot lead over Argentina.

With Rafa Echenique shooting five birdies and an eagle and Tano Goya adding four birdies, Argentina turned in an 11-under 61, while Japan, behind Hiroyuki Fujita’s six birdies, put itself in contention with a bogey-less 10-under 62.

The RP bets’ mediocre start dropped them to joint 20th place in a field of 28 going to the second round where play shifts to foursomes or alternate shot format.

Italy, behind Edoardo Molinari’s four birdies and an eagle, pooled a 64 for joint fourth with Canada and Korea while South Africa, with Rory Sabatini ramming in four birdies and Richard Sterne adding three, assembled a 65 for a share of seventh with defending champion Sweden.

Henrik Stenson had five birdies after nine holes but could only hit one at the back while Robert Karlsson had two birdies for the Swedes, who stood seven strokes off the Irishmen in the four-day event which offers a total prize money of $5.5 million.