Que ties Koepka at 69, 3 off leader

MANILA, Philippines — Angelo Que put on a late charge to stay in early contention, birdying two of the last three holes to shoot a two-under 69 and join world No. 1 Brooks Koepka and eight others at 18th, three strokes behind Koumei Oda at the start of the Dunlop Phoenix tournament at the Phoenix Country Club in Miyazaki, Japan yesterday.

Out to atone for his so-so finish at the Taiheyo Masters in Shizuoka last week, the power-hitting Filipino fumbled with four bogeys at the par-71 layout but came away with six birdies, the last two on Nos. 16 and 18 that put him back in the mix in the $1.8 million event serving as the third-to-last tournament of the Japan PGA Tour.

The 39-year-old Que, seeking a follow-up to his breakthrough triumph at the Top Cup Tokai Classic in Aichi last September, pitched in for birdie to open his bid but bogeyed three of the next nine holes against one more birdie to drop to the lower half of elite 84-player field. But he strung up back-to-back birdies from No. 13 and rebounded from another bogey mishap on the 15th with two birdies.

Koepka, who ruled this event last year on a 20-under 264 total, hit five birdies but stumbled with three bogeys that marred his 35-34 card. Like Que, the reigning US Open and PGA Championship winner stayed in the early mix with three scrambling pars.