Que fires eagle-aided 68, trails leader by five

Filipino Angelo Que sizzled with a bogey-free, eagle-aided four-under par 68 yesterday to stay five strokes off the pace at the start of the rich Asia-Japan Okinawa Open golf tournament at the Southern Links Golf Club course in Japan.

Holding his own against a field teeming with talent, the 25-year-old power-hitting Que gunned down birdies on Nos. 7 and 9 then watched his approach shot at the par-4 No. 11 disappear into the cup for the eagle that spiked his round of 34-34.

Que, a former national amateur champion still trying to make a name in big-time golf, rescued pars in three times that he went out of regulation while using his putter 29 times in a day of low scoring at the hazard-laden layout for a share of 17th place with eight others.

That was five shots off Masashi Ozaki, who turned the par-72 layout into a virtual playground as he gunned down 10 birdies against a lone bogey in a 63 (32-31) card highlighted by four straight birdies from No. 14.

That fiery round gave Ozaki a two-shot lead over Lam Chih Bing and Hiroshi Goda who both shot 65s with the latter spiking his round with an ace on No. 13.

Frankie Miñoza, trying to atone for his mediocre showing in the just-concluded season, fumbled with a bogey start but fought back with three birdies for a 70 as the top Filipino shotmaker stood at 42nd place in the $910,000 event serving as the kickoff leg of both the 2004 Japan and Asian PGA Tours.

But Danny Zarate went through a roller-coaster ride with six birdies, five bogeys and a pair of double-bogeys that dropped him to 72nd place with three-over par 75 card in the event which features the 60 players from each Tour plus six sponsor’s invites with players battling for the winning purse of $190,000.