Pucay way off in Open elims

MANILA, Philippines - Mars Pucay carded a second straight 72 and finished way behind in joint 17th at the close of the British Open International Final Qualifying topped by Japanese Hiroyuki Fujita at the Saujana Golf and Country Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia yesterday.

Pucay, joint 12th after the first round, opened with a birdie but dropped two strokes in the next four holes and settled for a run of pars before birdying No. 15 for a 37-35 card.

He wound up with a 144 and was never in contention for one of the four Open berths staked in the 36-hole elims.

Angelo Que, the only other Filipino aspirant who made it to the Open in 2008, withdrew after shooting a 73 in the first round.

Fujita shot a 66 after a 67 to top the elims with an 11-under 133 while Malaysian Danny Chia and rising Korean star Noh Seung-yul finished tied for second at 134 after identical 68s.

Amateur Eric Chun, another Korean bet, bested a host of pros for the fourth and last spot, firing a 71 to finish with a 138.

Fujita, Chia, Noh and Chun will thus see action in the 150th British Open slated in July in St. Andrews.