Angelo Que blasts out of the bunker guarding the 11th hole in Friday’s second round of the Country Club Invitational in Sta. Rosa Laguna. Que carded a two-under-par 68 to grab a two-shot lead. (Photo by BOB DUNGO JR.)

STA. ROSA, Laguna — Angelo Que played just well enough to shoot a second straight 68 Friday for a two-shot lead in the P4.7 million The Country Club Invitational.

Overnight leader Jeonard Rates cooled down with a one-over 71 to remain in second spot at 138, two shots ahead of a three-man group led by two-time champion Juvic Pagunsan.

Dottie Ardina, the 16-year-old prodigy, continued to play well against the topnotch field, matching her opening round 70 to keep Pagunsan and Marvin Dumandan company.

Que, the 31-year-old former Philippine Open champion and Asian Tour regular, won this event three years ago and looked forward to a productive weekend.

“Mentally, I’m getting better on and off the course,” said Que. “I think in the history of my participation here, first time kong mag-lead ng round.”

Starting on the 10th hole, Que birdied Nos. 13 and 14 before three-putting the 16th to make the turn at one-under. He mixed two more birdies and a lone bogey coming home for a 34-34 card.

Que had a chance to pull farther, but missed a four-foot birdie putt on the eighth.

Rates, who led the first round with a 67, opened with a bogey on No. 10 and went three-over after a double bogey on the 15th. He recovered neatly in the second nine with two birdies.

“I’ll just stick to my gameplan: Hitting fairways, greens,” Rates said.

Pagunsan, looming as a title contender, churned out a 70 after mixing two birdies and two bogeys to stay just three shots off the pace.

Ardina was the best-placed amateur at 140 following a roller-coaster round of five birdies and five bogeys while Dumandan followed a 68 with a 72.

Defending champion Artemio Murakami submitted a 70 and was at 141 with reigning Philippine Open champion Elmer Salvador who also shot a 70.

“Mahirap ngayon. Bukas, siguro andun na yung susi sa mas magandang laro,” Murakami said.

The winner of this tournament will bring home P1.45 million, the biggest paycheck ever in local history.

Only the Philippine Open carries a bigger prize money, but it is a foreign-flavored event sanctioned by the Asian Tour.

Aside from Ardina, six more amateurs made it to the cut pegged at 148.

The scores:
136 — A. Que 68-68
138 — J. Rates 67-71
140 — J. Pagunsan 70-70, D. Ardina (Am) 70-70, M. Dumandan 68-72
141 — E. Salvador 71-70, Murakami 71-70
142 — M. Pucay 68-74, R. Bisera 70-72, M. Fernando (Am) 69-73
146 — J. Deliarte 77-69, E. Saban 73-73, M. Bibat 70-76
147 — R. Marabe 70-77, C. Ikeda (Am) 76-71, R. Sasutil 74-73, A. Arbole (Am) 73-74, R. Bayron (Am) 73-74, R. Bernis 71-76
148 — T. Lascuna 75-73, J. Bayron 75-73, F. Minoza 75-73, C. Casas 74-74, A. Tanpinco (Am) 73-75, D. Becierra (Am) 73-75