Que 4 off the pace in Korea

MANILA, Philippines - Angelo Que fumbled with a bogey on the 17th and settled for a three-under 68 to trail Canadian Ryan Yip by four at the start of the CJ Invitational hosted by KJ Choi at the Haesley Nine Bridges Golf Club in South Korea yesterday.

Que, seeking an end to a two-year slump on the Asian Tour, gunned down three birdies at the front and went four-under with another birdie on the 16th only to fall back after missing a par-saving putt from six feet on the next hole for that 68 at the par-71 layout.

Still, it was an inspiring start for the three-time Asian Tour winner, who finished tied for sixth in last week’s Taiwan Masters and stood in joint 12th with five others, four strokes behind Yip.

The Canadian ace turned in a bogey-free 64 spiked by a 30 at the back to snatch a one-stroke lead over Aussie Rick Kulacz and Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand while Lee Dong-hwan carded a 66 to lead the locals’ charge in the event $750,000 event held in honor of the veteran PGA Tour campaigner.

Mars Pucay also stumbled with a bogey on No. 8 on his way home and made a 69 for a share of 18th but teener Miguel Tabuena skied to an 80 and in danger of missing the cut.

Over in Japan, Juvic Pagunsan fought back from a two-over card after three holes with four birdies as he shot a two-under 70 for joint 15th with 11 others, four strokes behind Yuta Ikeda and Yuki Sato, who both fired 66s, to post a one-shot lead in the Canon Open at the Totsuka Country Club in Kanagawa yesterday.

In Malaysia, James Ryan Lam fired a 70 to tie Malaysian Akhmal Tarmizee for second, two strokes behind Indonesian George Gandranata at the start of the Sarawak Masters of the Asian Development Tour in Malaysia.

Gandranata fired an ace on No. 8 en route to a 68, while Charles Hong, winner of the ICTSI Pueble de Oro crown on the Philippine Golf Tour last month, carded a 71 to join the big eight-man group in fourth.

Mhark Fernando turned in a 73 while Jay Bayron, Michael Bibat and Jhonnel Ababa all had 75s in the $60,000 tournament serving as the 10th leg of the fledgling circuit.