Miñoza makes move but Juvic misses cut

MANILA, Philippines - Frankie Miñoza fired a three-under 69 to move from 41st to joint 15th but Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Juvic Pagunsan missed the cut with an 81 even as Lee Westwood turned in another flawless 64 to pull away in the $1 million Thailand Golf Championship in Chonburi, Thailand yesterday.

Miñoza went on a birdie binge at the back, hitting four for a 32, added another one on No. 1 before slowing down with back-to-back bogeys from No. 6. Still, the former two-time Philippine Open champion and 1990 Asian Tour merit improved to 15th with a 141 although he stood way behind Westwood, who turned the Amata Spring Country Club into a virtual playground with a 20-under 124, that included a 12-under 60 in the first round.

The world No. 3 is poised to break the 32-under 256 posted by Thai Chapchai Nirat in the 2009 Sail Open in India.

Westwood sustained his fiery form by firing eight more birdies and kept a bogey-free round for the second straight day to post a whopping 11-shot lead over Michael Thompson of Australia and Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, who both had 135s after a pair of 66s.

John Daly, who had a 65 in the first round, fumbled with a 73 and slid to fourth with a 138.

But while Westwood remained awesome, Pagunsan proved awful, making an 81 to bow out with an uncharacteristic 157 in the season-ending tournament he had vowed to win.

After an opening 76, Pagunsan made some promise with a birdie on No. 11 from where he started only to falter with a slew of bogeys on Nos. 13, 18, 2, 3 and 5. Perhaps upset with his form, he made a triple bogey six on the par-3 No. 8 and holed out with a double bo gey.

Teener Miguel Tabuena, meanwhile, bounced back from a 74 with a 70 and made the weekend play with a 148 while Mars Pucay carded a 73 for a 145 and made cut pegged at 147.

Elmer Salvador had a 74 and missed the cut with a 150 while Angelo Que skied to a 78 for a 154.