MANOLO Fortich, Bukidnon – Young guns Ira Alido and Lee Song matched their outputs for the second straight day – a pair of 69s built around blistering starts on opposite nines that kept them at the helm halfway through the P3 million ICTSI Del Monte Championship here yesterday.
From the backside, Lee gunned down three birdies in the last five holes, added another on No. 5 from close range but missed grabbing the solo lead with a bogey on the par-4 No. 8 for a 36-33 card. Alido also hit three birdies in a solid frontside stint but unlike Lee, the rising Filipino star needed to birdie the last to negate a bogey on No. 17 and preserve a 33-36 round at the Del Monte Golf Club.
With 137s, Lee and Alido, who shot identical 68s Wednesday, stood a stroke ahead of new pursuer Nicolas Paez of the US, who highlighted his tournament-best 67 with an eagle on No. 14, and James Ryan Lam, who turned in a 69 for 138s while Tony Lascuña lay another shot back at 139 after a 68.
Alido actually blew a couple of eagle chances, including on No. 6 from 15 feet on a superb 4-iron second shot from 230 years and on the 18th from 30 feet out.
“I could’ve taken the lead had I made those eagles,” said Alido. “I failed to read clearly my lines of putt on those holes.”
