Que makes cut despite 77

MANILA, Philippines — Angelo Que hit a late birdie to card a 77 and made it to the weekend play of the rich Maybank Championship now paced by Thomas Pieters of Belgium at the Saujana Golf and Country Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Friday.

In danger of missing the cut with a disastrous backside 41 start, Que birdied the par-4 eighth from close range to save a 36 for a 77 and a 143, one stroke better than the cutoff score in the $3 million event.

But the Filipino shotmaker fell from one down with a fiery 66 Thursday to seven behind Pieters, who recovered from a bogey on No. 2 with four birdies to fire a 69 in hot conditions and wrest the lead at 136, one shot ahead of Indonesian Danny Masrin, who shot a 67, and Spain’s erstwhile leader Nacho Elivar, who settled for a 72, for 137s.

In joint third with a 66 after 18 holes, Que fell with a thud with a forgettable five-over 41 at the back where he teed off and succumbed to six bogeys, including three straight from No. 14, against a birdie on No. 13.