Que catches Thai teener with a 66
CARMONA, Cavite—Angelo Que gunned down eight birdies on the way to a six-under-par 66 yesterday and caught first-round leader Jazz Janewattanond and rookie Canadian Richard Lee on top halfway through the Resorts World Manila Masters at Manila Southwoods’ Masters course.
Que made the most out of calmer conditions in the morning and made a bold move, even as Janewattanond carved out a 69 and Lee a 68 as the trio led the dangerous Prom Meesawat of Thailand and three others by one shot.
In a psychedelic pair of trousers, Janewattanond played flu-free for the first time in two weeks but had his first bogey of the tournament against three birdies, while Lee, who started the day a shot off the 17-year-old Thai, remained flawless after 36 holes.
“I played well out there today, though the course played tougher than the way it did (in the first round),” said the 35-year-old Que, who pitched in for birdie on the 13th. “It’s always nice to be in contention early. The pressure will start to mount on us in the weekend.”
Nicholas Fung, the former spearhead of the Malaysian national team, made the biggest move on the leaderboard on a day the Masters layout showed more teeth. He fired a 64 to join Meesawat, who shot a 67, Carlos Pigem of Spain (66), and veteran Englishman Chris Rodgers (66) at 134.
Charles Hong, the Filipino playing in just his third Asian Tour event, followed up an opening 66 with a 70 and was in a six-man group at 136, trailing American David Lipsky (69) and Chinese superstar Liang Wenchong (69) by a shot.
Youngest to make cut
Janewattanond, who recorded Asian Tour history when he became the youngest player at 14 to make a halfway cut, is seeking his first win as a professional.
The 17-year-old missed the fairway and the green on the 10th hole and couldn’t rescue par, dropping his first shot in 28 holes only to recover with a birdie on the 11th and then the 15th.
Because of the low-scoring first round on Thursday, the tournament pegged the cut at a low 2-under 142, and several big names, including the Philippines’ own Frankie Miñoza, failed to make the grade.
Weekend-play absentees
Miñoza, the 53-year-old legend, rallied with a 68 but missed weekend play by a shot like Sweden’s Daniel Chopra, the two-time PGA Tour winner who could only match par in the second round.
“I just hope to maintain my form and continue to play well in the weekend,” said Fung, who was bogey-free for the day. He saved par in all three times he missed a green and needed only 25 putts to match the tournament’s best score posted by Janewattanond in the first round.
Rodgers, a 37-year-old now residing in Singapore, fired seven birdies against a lone bogey. He barely missed taking a piece of the lead when a five-foot putt for birdie on the par-5 18th just grazed the hole.
Meesawat started off hot, shooting four birdies on the front nine and was a par-saving machine in the stretch that bridged both nines where he had five straight one-putts. But he only had one birdie the rest of his bogey-free round, on the par-5 15th.
Miguel Tabuena, who was paired with fellow teener Janewattanond, ran into trouble twice and settled for a 69 to be six shots off the pace at 139, along with Southwoods pro, Antonio Lascuña, who could only match par.
Anthony Fernando was also in Lascuña and Tabuena’s group after again cracking par with a 70.
The leading scores: (Filipino unless stated)
133—A. Que 67-66, R. Lee (CAN) 65-68, J. Janewattanond (THA) 64-69; 134—N. Fung (MAL) 70-64, P. Meesawat (THA) 67-67, C. Pigem (ESP) 68-66, C. Rodgers (ENG) 68-66; 135—A. Da Silva (BRA) 68-67, D. Lipsky (USA) 66-69; 136—Liang W (CHN) 67-69, M. Perera (SRI) 69-67, S. Lewton (ENG) 70-66, Hung CY (TWN) 68-68, C. Hong 66-70, K. Samooja (FIN) 67-69; 137—H. Rai (IND) 68-69, L. Sung (KOR) 67-70), T. Khrongpha (THA) 67-70, J. Makitalo (FIN) 69-68, C. Sainz JR (USA) 66-71, S. Brazel (AUS) 71-66, SSP Chowrasia (IND) 71-66, T. Wiratchant (THA) 69-68, Lam CB (SIN) 67-70; 138—D. Singh (IND) 70-68, D. Lutterus (AUS) 68-70, A. Kang (USA) 67-71, S. Kooratanapisan (THA) 67-71, Tsai CH (TWN) 68-70, P. Junhasavasdikul (THA) 68-70; 139—M. Stieger (AUS) 66-73, A. Lascuña 67-72, MJ Koong (KOR) 71-68, C. Kim (USA) 72-67, M. Tabuena 70-69, T. Chuayprakong (THA) 66-73, A. Fernando 69-70, Q. Quek (SIN) 69-70.
