Que, Tabuena grab lead; Solaire Open pacesetters 1 up on field

CANLUBANG, Laguna—Angelo Que couldn’t make a mistake Friday and Miguel Tabuena bounced back from a so-so start as the two Filipino stars tied for the lead after two rounds of the $300,000 Solaire Open.

Que carved out a bogey-free six-under-par 65 on another day of demanding conditions at The Country Club here, while the 19-year-old Tabuena returned a 68 to lead a leaderboard shakeup that claimed defending champion Lin Wen-tang of Chinese-Taipei as 36-hole casualty.

“I don’t know. It was as if it was a blur, everything worked for me today,” Que said moments after chipping in for birdie on the 18th green to take a 135 aggregate into weekend play of the event sponsored by Solaire Resorts and Casino and backed by DMCI Homes, BDO, PLDT and Meralco.

Tabuena, no better than 1-over after four holes after bogeys on Nos. 3 and 4, missed a similar birdie  and the solo lead by roughly an inch on No. 18 with a pitching wedge from about 40 yards to settle for a tie with Que. They stood one shot ahead of India’s SSP Chowrasia, who fired a 68.

“I played in much worse conditions two weeks ago, and that made it easier now,” said Tabuena, who played the course daily for almost two weeks to familiarize himself with wind-swept par-71 course.

First-round leaders Sam Brazel of Australia and Filipino long shot Ryan Lam fell prey to tougher conditions in the afternoon and dropped way down the leaderboard after rounds of 75 and 78 for 141 and 144, respectively.

South Africa’s Bryce Easton also churned out a 68 and tied for fourth at 137 with Aussie Matthew Griffin, who fired a 69, even as Filipino underdog Zannie Boy Gialon cracked par for the second straight day with a 70 for 138 like Richard Lee of Canada (70) and Wang Jeung-hun of Korea (67).

Lin, who opened up with a 70, skied to a 78 and missed the cut, pegged at 3-over 145, by a woeful three shots. He joined former Philippine Open champions Berry Henson of the United States and Singapore’s Mardan Mamat in the early flight back home.

Henson fired a 76 while Mamat shot a 72 to fall short by a stroke.

Also missing the cut was Cassius Casas, the winner at the TCC Invitational last month, who carded a second straight 74.

Carl Santos-Ocampo was the next best-placed Filipino at joint 13th with eight others at 140 after matching par. Prom Meesawat and Chawalit Plaphol of Thailand and Rikard Karlberg of Sweden were in his group after rounds of 71, 72 and 73 in that order.

Que landed approaches close and putted well all day, even joking later on that the 65 was really his target as a birthday gift to his coach, Bong Lopez.

“I hit it long, I putted well and scrambled well,” Que, a three-time winner at the TCC and seeking a fourth win on the Asian Tour, said. “I haven’t had a bogey-free round on this course for a while.”