LUBAO, Pampanga – Swede Andreas Gronkvist turned in a six-under 66 and took a one-stroke lead over Thai Piya Swangarunporn in the $100,000 ICTSI Pradera Verde Classic here yesterday.
A birdie-eagle windup in windy condition checked a rollercoaster backside for the 27-year-old Gronkvist, who was just as surprised as the rest of the field to emerge the leader following a number of missed cut stints in the second season of the Philippine Golf Tour Asia.
Gronkvist, who failed to advance at Riviera, Forest Hills and Summit Points stops of the region’s newest circuit put up by ICTSI while ending up tied for 27th at the CAT Open and 49th at Southwoods.
He also missed the cut by one in the recent Qualifying School Final Stage in Thailand.
But he turned in a solid start of 33 at the flat but challenging layout then came out of a pair of bogey-birdie stints on Nos. 11 and 15 with a birdie on the 17th before closing out with an eagle to highlight his 28-putt outing in the early going of the 72-hole championship.
