Winds bedevil field as Japanese leader falters.
CANLUBANG, Laguna – If the first round was a nightmare for many players, the second round yesterday of the TCC Invitational was a disaster – nearly for everyone.
Not one of the 30 players who are reputed to be the country’s best and considered the Philippine Golf Tour’s elite managed to break par as The Country Club course continue to cement its new reputation as the most difficult golf layout in the land.
First round leader Toru Nakajima shot a five-over-par 77 but managed to hold on to the lead which he, however, now shares with Angelo Que who shot a three-over-par 75.
Both are at 147, three over par for the tournament, to lead the field by two strokes.
But looming ominously in third place was Miguel Tabuena whose two-over-par 74 proved to be the best for the day.
Also within striking distance was Juvic Pagunsan who shot 75 and was tied with Jhonnel Ababa, who scored 78, three strokes behind at 150.
Nakajima struggled in windy conditions and shot one birdie against six bogeys while Que managed two birdies against five bogeys.
“I’m still happy with the way I played, I missed a few putts,” said Que. “Ganito naman talaga pag TCC Invitational, they won’t make it easy for you. You just got to fight for it.”
Que, who shared the first round lead in last week’s Myanmar Open before fading, said his chances appeared good, citing his past record here.
“I won here three times – my chances are pretty high. I like this place,” he said. “I’ve done well here.”
Nakajima, 32, who has been playing on local tour but is a first timer in the Invitational, remained the only player to break par after a 70 on opening day. But the second round was tricky for the Japanese who had three bogeys in each of the nines.
“This is normal… 5-over (in this playing condition),” said Nakajima, who was born in Tokyo but has lived here since he was eight-years-old.
“Yesterday was just too good… it is actually not me. It is my brother,” he joked about the sharp contrast between his first and second round scores.
On the other hand, Tabuena at one point shared the lead Nakajima at two-over after he birdied 10 and the Japanese bogeyed the 12th hole. But a bogey on the 13th and a double-bogey on the 16th reeled the 22-year-old golfer two shots behind.
“I got unlucky with the double on 16,” said Tabuena. “I hit a good drive – a really good shot second shot. I just misjudged the wind and it came up just a bit short, and then bumalik sa bunker. Tapos medyo panget yung bunker shot, it went over the here, I made a double.”
