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Out-of-form Murakami stays on top of TCC Invitational
Written by staff   
Saturday, 24 January 2009 06:18

Filipino-Japanese Artemio Murakami was not in his best element but he still managed a second-round even-par 70 to maintain top seeding in The Country Club Invitational in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna.

Murakami’s decent showing on Friday netted him a two-day total of 132 despite faring eight shots worse than his opening round 62.

He leads the way from two budding amateurs—Rufino Bayron and Antonio Asistio—in the ICTSI-sponsored event going to Saturday’s third round.

“The wind direction was so unpredictable (Friday). Sometimes it blew left, but after executing a shot, suddenly it will go right. It got me off-track," Murakami said.

Teeing off on the back nine with only minimal winds present, Murakami carded his first birdie on the 13th from six feet and had a 25-footer on the 18th that offset his lone bogey on the 16th, where he missed the green with his approach.

At the turn, the strong gusts were turned on which practically got in the way of the Asian Tour campaigner. Although he canned a birdie at the first, he ran into trouble in deep rough en route to dropping two strokes on the fourth. He made regulation pars the rest of the way.

ICTSI teammates Bayron (68) and Asistio (68) followed with 136 and 137, respectively. Jay Bayron was the next best professional with 138 after a 70.

Angelo Que, the 2007 TCC Invitational champion, completed the top-five as he submitted a 72 for 140. He suffered three three-putts and is now staring at an eight-stroke deficit.

Defending champion Juvic Pagunsan also got beaten by the winds with a double-bogey, four bogeys and only one birdie for a 75 and a 144 total which practically dashed any hopes of retaining the title. Miñoza could only manage a 75 for 147.

A total of 29 players from the 36-man field made it to the final two rounds after making the cut, pegged at seven-over 147. The biggest casualty was inaugural champion Cassius Casas (2003) after a miserable 77 to go with his earlier 75.
 
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