By Adrian Flores

STA. Rosa City?A superhuman effort. This described Artemio Murakami?s superb shotmaking and impeccable putting yesterday when he set a new course record of eight-under-par 62 in The Country Club Invitational, backed by the International Container Terminal Services Inc.

The 25-year-old Asian Tour regular literally peppered the shortened par-70 TCC layout (par-72 is the normal length) with nine birdies and only a bogey for that 62, which broke the old mark of 64 set by Juvic Pagunsan during the 2005 Southeast Asian Games held here.

Former winner Angelo Que finished with an eagle-aided, three-under-par 70 to stay within striking distance. Rey Pagunsan, Jay Bayron and amateur Rufino Bayron are lurking behind with identical two-under 68s, while defending champion Juvic Pagunsan opened his title-retention bid with a one-under 69.

Murakami canned successive birdies from inside four feet. After three pars in regulations, the Filipino-Japanese began a three-birdie binge on nos. 7 to 9 which gave him an excellent five-under at the turn.

?I am very happy to have this kind of a game. It?s my first time to have a course record,? a beaming Murakami said to Standard Today.

The 2007 Iskandar Johor Open champion continued to sizzle at the back nine with another three straight birdies beginning from a 15-foot putt on no. 11. His second shot went over the green on no. 14, a potential birdie, which he lost in the process.

Still, he remained unfazed as he gunned down another birdie on the 15th, the last for the day, before committing a bogey-blunder on the 16th after he missed the green completely.

?Once in a while, players of our caliber can really shoot low scores like what I did today. It comes naturally. It was fortunate that it happened to me in a major tournament such as this,? Murakami said.

Que, whose highlight was an eagle on no. 14 from two feet, matched Murakami?s score in the last nine, but was setback with little mistakes at the onset. He had a birdie to start but followed with a bogey on the next hole. He ended with four birdies and two bogeys.

?I am satisfied except for a drive and a few putts. I am disappointed, though, with myself because I kept doing things I am not supposed to do,? said Que.

The revered Frankie Mi?oza, who despite the weight loss still packs a lot of power in his drives, carded a two-over 72 on nines of 35-37. He was adrift from the leaders in the chase for the P1.35-million top prize from the P6.4-million total purse.