Angel, Juvic waver in As-Pac Open

MANILA, Philippines - Angelo Que ran out of holes in his comeback bid, salvaging a two-over 72 to trail Aussie Scott Strange by eight at the start of the Asia-Pacific Open Mitsubishi Diamond Cup at Otone Country Club’s West Course in Ibaraki, Japan yesterday.

Que, who skipped a couple of tournaments back home to prepare for this $1.2 million event, birdied No. 11 in a promising backside start but stumbled with a double-bogey right on the next hole, dropped four strokes from Nos. 14 to 17 and bogeyed No. 1 to drop to the tailend of the 130-player leaderboard.

But the former three-time Asian Tour champion found his range towards the end and struck back with solid iron play that set up birdies from close range. He hit four birdies in the last six holes, including a closing back-to-back feat to put himself in joint 62nd and well within the cutoff score in the event both serving as the Asian Tour and Japan PGA Tour legs.

But Juvic Pagunsan, back in Japan after dominating the local field at Aboitiz Invitational last August, wavered coming home at the front, bogeying No. 6 and dropping two strokes on No. 8 to finish with a 73 for joint 83rd.

Miguel Tabuena, who clinched his first Order of Merit title back home with back-to-back victories, failed to flash his form on a course and a field which offer a different kind of challenge, making five bogeys in the first 12 holes and finishing with two more bogeys against a lone birdie on No. 15.

The young gun found himself down in 115th.

Strange gunned down an eagle and five birdies to negate a lone bogey on No. 15, his eight-under 64 netting him a two-stroke lead over former Solaire Open champion Richard Lee of Canada and fellow Aussie Lee Won-Joon while Thais Prayad Marksaeng and Panuphol Pittayarat, Korean KT Kim and American Jason Knutzon all carded 67s.