Marcos Pastor fired a five-under 67 to open a two-stroke lead over former Singapore Amateur champion Choo Tze Huang at the start of the Philippine Golf Tour Asia third season Qualifying Tournament at the Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac Tuesday.
Pastor spiked his 33-34 round with an eagle on the par-5 ninth as the Spanish bet lined himself up for another Q-School honors after topping the local circuit’s PGT elims at Splendido last February.
Choo missed joining Pastor at the helm with a double-bogey on No. 16 but his 34-35 card, that included six birdies against one bogey, still put him in early contention for one of the spots in the tournament proper of the third season of the region’s newest circuit which kicks off with the Luisita Championship next week.
The top 65 plus ties after 36 holes from the starting field of 97 will advance to the last two days with the top 40 and ties gaining Category 6 berths for the new PGT Asia season.
Local bet Kris Etter bogeyed No. 14 and settled for a 70, dropping to joint third with Vikkash Babu and Gregory Foo, also of Singapore, while Thai Tawan Phongpun fought back from an opening 37 with three birdies against a bogey at the back to save a 71 for solo sixth.
A mix of players matched par 72 at the tight, hazard laden layout with Korean Jung Chae Won holing out with a birdie to tie Japanese Ryui Hashimoto and Issei Mori, Canadian Lindsay Renolds, Greg Gonzalez of the US, Thai Pachara Sakulyong, Jordan Irawan of Indonesia and Scotland’s Ryan Hood.
Filipinos Marvin Dumandan, Orlan Sumcad, Enrico Gallardo, Santiago Gabo, GJ Katigbak and Kuresh Samanodi all carded 73s to stay in the hunt for cards in the circuit which will break barriers by holding two legs in Taiwan in May and September.
