CARMONA, Cavite – Jay Bayron sizzled with a 10-under 62 early yesterday then added a 67 to keep the clubhouse lead halfway through the $100,000 ICTSI Manila Southwoods Golf Championship at the Legends course here.
American John Michael O’Toole came out of another weather delay in top form, birdying three of the first six holes in a late start but fumbled with a double-bogey on the par-3 16th to round out his backside bid at 35 for a running-10-under card with nine holes to play in the second round.
That enabled Bayron to earn a provisional five-shot cushion as the Filipino veteran campaigner pooled a whopping 15-under 129 aggregate, six ahead of those with completed rounds, including Zanieboy Gialon and Finland’s TeemuPutkonen, who assembled a pair of 135s after a 68 and 69, respectively.
Mars Pucay sizzled with a 66 and Albin Engino fired a second 68 for 136s, sharing provisional fifth place with five others who all had running eight-under cards with several holes to play late in the day. Aussie Darren Beck was at two-under after 12 holes, last week’s PGT Asia Riviera leg winner Jobim Carlos and Grant Jackson of England had identical four-under cards after nine holes, Tim Stewart of Australia was at five-under with seven holes left and Dutch Guido Van der Valk had a three-under card heading to the backside.
The elite field sustained its attack on the Legends which yielded 48 sub-par rounds at presstime after 60 broke par in the opener of the third leg of PGT Asia Season 2 put up by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. where the top 50 plus ties will advance to the final 36 holes.
Michael Bibat was at seven-under overall on a four-under card after nine holes while Tony Lascuña carded a second 69 for a 138 even as Angelo Que tried to press his charge with a running three-under card for a six-under overall with six holes to play.
Robert Pactolerin, whose 65 Tuesday sparked hopes for a big week by one of the country’s golfing legends, slowed down with two-over card with six holes to play.
