Miñoza shoots 68, grabs 2-shot lead

Veteran Frankie Miñoza fired an eagle-aided four-under-par 68 Thursday to seize a two-stroke lead over Anthony Fernando, Orlan Sumcad and five foreigners after 36 holes of the $60,000 ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic in Cavite.

Miñoza, now a Seniors campaigner at 54, rallied from a poor start with a furious finish capped by an eagle on the par-5 15th where he nailed a curling 25-foot putt set up by a 9-iron approach from 180 yards.

The country’s former No. 1 was the halfway leader at 139 as he seeks to snap a two-year titleless spell, even as Fernando, the former amateur ace still seeking a breakthrough pro win like the veteran Sumcad, fired a 69.

Sumcad, the long-hitter playing out of Mount Malarayat in Lipa City, birdied the difficult 18th for the second straight day for a 71 to tie Fernando, first-round leader Poosit Supapramai and Itthipat Buranatanyarat of Thailand, Taiwan’s Hsieh Chi-hsien, Mitchell Slorach of Singapore and Japan’s Masaru Takahashi.

Poosit, who had a 68 in the first round, stumbled to a 73, while compatriot Buranatanyarat fired a 69, also spiked by an eagle on the 15th.

Hsieh, the Asean Development Tour’s Order of Merit leader, shot a 71 like Slorach. Takahashi returned a level 72.

Cassius Casas and Rico Depilo submitted 71s for 142s like American Greg Moss, who fired a 70.

Defending champion Charles Hong played a whole lot better than in the first round, shooting a 70 to get back in the mix at 144 together with Jessie Balasabas, who shot a 70, Benjie Magada (71) Joenard Rates (70) and three foreigners. Musong R. Castillo