Miñoza, Tabuena pace Philippines’ bid in Thailand

CHONBURI, Thailand—Senior star Frankie Miñoza and teen sensation Miguel Tabuena emerged as the best Filipinos at the halfway mark of the Thailand Golf Championship after Juvic Pagunsan and Angelo Que bowed out with outrageous scores Friday.

Miñoza, who will turn 52 late this month and winner of the final leg of the ICTSI Tour at Wack Wack recently, shot a 3-under-par 69 and tied for 16th place with a 36-hole 141 total, a distant 17 strokes behind runaway leader Lee Westwood of England.

The 17-year-old Tabuena kept his bid alive to crash the top 61 list in the Order of Merit and secure his playing card next season, firing a 70 for 144, safely under the 147 cutoff mark.

At No. 64 in the OOM, Tabuena, who was tied for 32nd, needs to finish in the middle of the field of the $1-million event to qualify automatically in all Tour events next year.

Pagunsan played nothing like the new Asian OOM winner, carding an 81 after an opening 76 to finish among the tailenders after two rounds at 157. Que, No. 22 in the OOM, had slightly better rounds of 76-78—154.

Mars Pucay (No. 52) also made it to the weekend play with a 73 for 145 but Antonio Lascuña (No. 57) added a 77 to a 69 for 146. Elmer Salvador missed the cut (76-74—150).

Westwood, who fired a 60 Thursday, produced another solid round of 64 at the Amata Spring Country Club to match the Asian Tour’s 36-hole record of 20-under-par 124 held by Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat.

Reigning Masters champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa and Michael Thompson of the United States were tied for second at 9-under 135.