Hong wrests 1-shot edge

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino Charles Hong fired a three-under 69 to grab a one-stroke lead over Singapore’s Choo Tze Huang midway through the PGM Sarawak Masters at the Sarawak Golf Club in Malaysia yesterday.

Hong, enjoying top form after scoring a breakthrough win at the ICTSI Pueblo de Oro Championship of the Philippine Golf Tour last month, made an early charge and went five-under but fumbled with back-to-back bogeys from No. 16 to settle for a 69 and a 36-hole haul of 140.

Choo, the former Singapore amateur champion, carded a 70 for a 141 while Indon George Gandranate, who scored an ace to seize the first round lead with a 68, stumbled with a 75 and slid to joint third at 143 with Akhmal Tarmizee (73), Nakauchi Go (72) and Jeremiah Kim (72).

“I wasn’t thinking about the score too much because I was trailing by three at the start of the day. Then the birdies kept coming even though I finished with two bogeys. I’m still happy with my round,” said Hong, who also handled the South team past the North squad in a Ryder Cup-style duel at Alabang Golf Club last April.

James Lam, another Filipino bet in the Asian Development Tour leg, made a 74 and dropped to 144 in a tie with four others while Mhark Fernando and Jhonnel Ababa shot a 73 and 71, respectively, for 146s.

In South Korea, Angelo Que wavered with a bogey-bogey mishap from No. 5 and wound up with a two-over 73, falling from joint 12th to 33rd place after 36 holes of the KJ Choi now paced by Thai ace Chinnarat Phadungsil at the Haesley Nine Bridges Golf Club.

Que, whose opening 68 put him in early contention Thursday, had an even card after birdying No. 1 on his homeward trip by failed to rescue pars on the fifth and sixth holes for that 73 and a 141.

He fell by nine behind Phadungsil, who fired a seven-under 64 for a 132 to snatch a three-stroke lead over Korean Lee Sung, who shot a 68, and erstwhile frontrunner Ryan Yip of Canada, who slowed down with a 71 after a 64 for 135s.

Mars Pucay, who had a decent 69 in the first round, limped with a 76 and missed the cut by one with a 135.

Over in Japan, Juvic Pagunsan also struggled with a 75 after a 70 and barely made the 60-player cut at 145, 11 shots behind Yuta Ikeda, who had a 10-under 134 after a 68.

Shigeki Maruyama made a 69 to force a four-way tie for second at 137 with Masamichi Uehira (68), Brad Kennedy (69) and Hwang Jung-gon (69).