Pucay moves in contention with 65

MANILA, Philippines - Mars Pucay turned in a solid seven-under par 65 to fuel his bid for a breakthrough win on the Asian Tour as he moved within three strokes of India’s Himmat Rai in the second round of the rain-shortened Iskandar Johor Open in Johor Bahru, Malaysia yesterday.

Pucay, whose best finish in the season was joint 10th at the Queens Cup in Thailand last August, came away with a couple of three-birdie strings on both nines to card a 34-31 round in a day of torrid scoring at the par-72 layout.

Counting his 69 in the first round, Pucay pooled a 10-under 134, just three shots off Rai, who followed up his opening round of 64 with a 67 for a 131.

A shot behind at 132 is PGA Tour veteran KJ Choi, who sizzled with a 64 to catch Darren Beck of Australia, who also shot a 64, at second while Chang Tse-peng of Taiwan took solo fourth at 133 after a 68.

Joining Pucay in fifth is Chapchai Nirat of Thailand, who also carded a 65 while a host of others stood just a shot or two behind, ensuring a shootout in the final round of the event reduced to 54 holes due to inclement weather Friday.

“We are forced to reduce the tournament due to bad weather conditions and we hope that we will have better conditions in the next two days,” said Wanchai Meechai, the Asian Tour tournament director of the Iskandar Johor Open, which Filipino Artemio Murakami ruled in 2007.

Juvic Pagunsan moved from 32nd to joint 14th with a 68 and a 138 while Tony Lascuña shot a second 70 for a 140 in a tie with Angelo Que who fought back with a 67 after a 73.

Teeing off at the backside, Pucay, who won a leg in the Mercedes-Benz-Asean Tour in 2007, birdied Nos. 11, 12 and 13 then picked two more for a 31. Sustaining his form, he knocked down three straight birdies from No. 2 to go eight-under but fumbled with a bogey on No. 5 for the second straight day for that 65.