RP Cuppers assemble subpar card, gain stroke on Thais

MANILA — The Philippine golf team assembled a tournament-best one-under 209 on Friday despite leaving a few strokes here and there as it gained ground on leader Thailand after the second round of the 42nd Southeast Asian Golf Team Championship here.

Juvic Pagunsan made birdies from the unlikeliest of places on the way to a 69 while Jerome Delariarte and Jay Bayron matched par to round out the Filipinos’ Day Two effort, a 10-shot improvement from their opening 219 at the Hong Kong Golf Club.

Now at 428 after two rounds in this event better known as the Putra Cup, the RP team got back one shot from Thailand which needed a three-under par 67 from three-time individual champion Prom Meesawat to hold off the Filipinos’ charge.

"That’s the way to do it," said National Golf Association of the Philippines president Rod Feliciano. "We can’t expect to overhaul nine shots in one round. We have to take it day by day and hope to be in a position to strike in the last round."

Thailand, which got a 71 from Pijit Petchkasem and a 72 from Wisut Artjanawat, put together its second straight 210 to stay eight shots ahead of the second-running Filipinos, a big margin but not entirely unassailable, especially in team play.

"Our performance should also serve us well psychologically," said team captain Jun Galindez. "Now our boys know that we can outplay the Thais on any given day, and the Thais now know this thing isn’t over yet."

The team was also expected to get an additional boost later in the day with the arrival of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, who is set to watch the last two rounds.

So steady were the Nationals on this day that Paul Miñoza, the fourth man in the team sent here with support from DHL Worldwide Express, WWExpress, Mizuno and the Philippine Sports Commission, didn’t even count with his one-over 71.

Leading the charge was Pagunsan, the reigning Southeast Asian Games champion who sprayed his drives all over the place but still got away with a one-under card — thanks to his imaginative play and impeccable touch around the greens.

That was none more evident than in the par-4 6th hole, where Pagunsan hooked his drive so badly he ended up under a thick row of trees. But he got a punch shot right through a small opening to within a pin of the cup, and made birdie.

He repeated the Houdini act at the par-5 14th where he made a birdie despite hitting into the trees on his drive while his two flight mates, including Thai Artjanawat, had to settle for pars from the middle of the fairway.

Still, the team can‚t help but rue a couple of shots that got away.

Bayron, the most consistent performer in the team thus far, and Delariarte combined for five three-putt bogeys — none more appalling than Delariarte’s miss from tap-in distance at the 8th hole. Bayron, who didn’t miss a single fairway, also three-putted the par-5 10th, settling for a par.

Miñoza improved by 10 shots from his opening 81 but couldn’t cash in on at least five birdie opportunities from inside 10 feet.

"Di bale. At least nakita natin na kahit may mga errors pang konti, nakakakuha pa tayo sa Thailand," said national coach Roger Retuerto.

The rest in the eight-man tournament looked too far behind to contend. Host Hong Kong is 17 shots off the pace at 437 after a 219 while defending champion Malaysia is another stroke back following a 213.

Singapore remained in fifth spot at 441 despite a 210, followed by Myanmar (220-445), Brunei (228-453) and Indonesia (222-454).