Miñoza makes quarters

Frankie Miñoza stayed on course of his title bid in the Japan PGA Matchplay Championship, beating Japanese Hidemichi Tanaka, 3 and 2, to barge into the quarterfinal round of the $660,000 event at the Nidom Classic course in Tomakomai, Japan.

Miñoza, who fought back from two holes down to turn back Japanese Toshiaki Odate, 2-up, in the first round Thursday, halved the first four holes with Tanaka but won the next four which he built as a cushion to reach the last eight.

He actually went 5-up on No. 10, but the ace Filipino shotmaker sputtered on two of the next four holes, losing Nos. 12 and 14 although he settled down on the way home to frustrate Tanaka, who was dragged by Dinesh Chand into the 21st hole before winning, 1-up in their second round match.

The 41-year-old Miñoza hopes to sustain his run against Colombia’s Eduardo Herrera, who battled back from two holes down to beat Taichi Teshima, 2-up, in their side of the duel, in a bid to recover his bearing and confidence following forgettable campaigns on the Japan PGA Tour.

Miñoza, who went up as high as No. 2 in the money rankings after winning the Fujisankei Classic in May, has missed the cut in the last three tournaments on the tour and dropped to No. 9 in the money list with earnings of $397,985.

Other quarterfinal matches pit Tsuyoshi Yoneyama vs Hiroyuki Fujita; Dean Wilson vs Toru Suzuki; and Toru Taniguchi vs Lin Keng-chi.

Over in Taiwan, Cassius Casas rallied with a 69 to tie compatriot Gerald Rosales, shooting a 70, at 39th place halfway through the Taiwan Acer Open paced by American Andrew Pitts, who had 133 after a 68.

Danny Zarate also made the cut with a 70 and a 143 but Rodrigo Cuello fumbled with a 77 after a 70 and didn’t make it to the weekend play.

In Illinois, Fil-Am Dorothy Delasin shot a 71 to trail Annika Sorenstam and Tina Fischer by six strokes at the start of the $1 million LPGA State Farm Classic in Springfield.