Defending Champ, Casas, Pucay miss cut both moves on top of Phl Open

MANILA, Philippines - Marcus Both of Australia broke par for the second straight day and installed himself as the solo leader halfway through the ICTSI Philippine Open golf championship at Wack Wack.

Both, always around when the Asian Tour stops by in the country, carded a bogey-free six-under-par 66 on a surprisingly cloudy day to go with his opening round of 70.

With a 136 total, the 34-year-old native of Melbourne is two strokes up on American Chan Kim, who was tied for the lead until he bogeyed his last two holes.

Both couldn’t do anything wrong yesterday in the event sponsored by International Container Terminals Services, Inc. and presented by the MVP Sports Foundation and PLDT.

The two-time winner in the Asian Tour teed off on the back nine and hit five birdies in a six-hole stretch starting on No. 13. His other birdie for the day came on the fourth.

On the 18th, he had a birdie blast from the greenside bunker.

“I played nicely. It’s a rare day when you keep the big numbers off your card especially here because this course can bite you at any stage,” said Both.

He didn’t have a good year last year, missing the cut 10 times and landing in the Top 10 only once.

“It’s nice to be back up on the leaderboard. We still got two rounds to go but as far as today’s job I think I did pretty good,” Both added.

Kim entered the second day of the $300,000 event tied for the lead with Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh. But they both failed to sustain their hot start.

Kim had a 72 for a 138 while Rahman had a 73 for a 139.

Kim three-putted the 412-yard No. 17 for a bogey and hooked his drive on the 18th, another par-4. He punched out, reached the green in three and had two putts for another bogey.

Rahman, who sizzled with nine birdies against three bogeys the other day, could only birdie No. 5 this time. He bogeyed Nos. 6 and 16 for one-over card.

Threat of lightning in mid-afternoon kept a lot of players out of the course for an hour. A dozen players barely finished their rounds before it got too dark.

Chawalit Plaphol (71) of Thailand and Wang Jeung-hun (68) of Korea were tied for fourth at 140, followed by Filipino amateur Rupert Saragoza who had a second straight 71.

S.S.P. Chowrasia of Thailand was also at 142 along with Filipino Miguel Ochoa, who hit a 69, Nathan Holman of Australia after a 71 and Lionel Weber of France with a 69.

A total of 67 players made it to the money round but nowhere in the list was Singapore’s Mardan Mamat, the 2012 Philippine Open champion who had a couple of 75s.

Mamat  missed the cut, pegged at 149, by a single stroke. Suffering the same fate were Filipino hopefuls Mars Pucay, Cassius Casas, Ferdinand Aunzo, Mhark Fernando, Rey Pagunsan and Gerald Rosales – all at 150.

In a share of 11th place at 143 and headed to the weekend play were Filipino master Frankie Miñoza (72-71) and Jay Bayron (71-72).

Antonio Lascuña picked up the pace with a 71 after a 74 and made it along with Miguel Tabuena who had a 75 and a 70. Angelo Que was at 146 (71-75).

Rolando Marabe of the Philippines, who was in a share of third after a 69 the other day, had an 80 to make the cut by the skin of his teeth.

Scores after 36 holes

136 – Marcus Both (AUS) 70-66

138 – Chan Kim (USA) 66-72

139 – Siddikur Rahman (BAN) 66-73

140 – Chawalit Plaphol (THA) 69-71, Wang Jeung-hun (KOR) 72-68

142 – Rupert Zaragosa 71-71, S.S.P Chowrasia (IND) 71-71, Miguel Ochoa 73-69, Nathan Holman (AUS) 71-71, Lionel Weber (FRA) 72-70

143 – Panuphol Pattayarat (THA) 74-69, Frankie Minoza 72-71, Mithun Perera (SRI) 71-72, Gunn Charoenkul (THA) 73-70, Jay Bayron 71-72

144 – Rico Depilo 76-68, Unho Park (AUS) 72-72, Settee Prakongvech (THA) 70-74, Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 72-72, Paul Peterson (USA) 71-73, Anirban Lahiri (IND) 75-69, Jaridn Todd (USA) 73-71