THE Philippines lost considerable ground at the 31st Nomura Cup on Wednesday, firing a second-round 146 that left it in a tie for third place with China and defending champion Vietnam, now 10 strokes behind leader Hong Kong.
But with a 288 aggregate and still 36 holes left to play, the Philippine trio believes the deficit is still pretty manageable as they chase the country's first win in the event also known as the official Asia-Pacific team championship.
Suzuki takes charge
Reigning national Match Play champion Shinichi Suzuki, after failing to count in the opening round on Tuesday, fired a level -par 72 at the Bayhood No. 9 Golf Club in Beijing, a respectable effort that he said could have been much lower if not for a terrible day on the sleek greens.
Newly minted PH Strokeplay champ Jet Hernandez's 74 counted as the second score for the Filipinos, who drew a 75 from first-day leading scorer Rolando Bregente, whose 69 kept the team just two shots back after the first day.
"Today wasn't our day," Suzuki, at 18 the youngest in the crew, said after failing to break par despite reaching all but four greens in regulation. "But there's still a lot of golf to be played and anything is possible with God on our side."
Hong Kong hung tough, assembling a 138 built around the 67 of Ethan Tian, for 278, 10-under over the tough layout, with Japan now six behind after a second straight 142 for 284.
Tian was the one that didn't count for HK on opening day, as Markus Zachary Lam accounted for a 71 for their six-under day.
Mao Matsuyama fired another 71 and Japan got the same score from Kaito Sato for its 142, even as the Chinese and Vietnamese both returned 143s to be in a three-way tie with the Filipinos.
"(The team) talked about the deficit and we're still confident that we can make something happen," the 21-year-old Hernandez said after what he described as a weird day off the tees. "I don't thin any of us have played to what we are capable of yet."
Bregente hesitated on the par-3 fourth, his 14th hole and hit a 7-iron slightly fat that led to a triple bogey 6.
"None of us really played well, which gives me the confidence that we can turn things around with two rounds left," Bregente said in Filipino. "Anyone of us can have a really good day, we just have to work hard for it."
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