Aidric Chan fired a four-under 68 and took a three-stroke lead over erstwhile frontrunner Sean Ramos in the third round of Stage 1 of the SEA Games men’s team qualifier at the Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac yesterday.
After back-to-back 73s to force a four-way tie at the top, the reigning national junior champion finally got his long game and iron play going, producing three birdies in the first nine holes then bucking two backside bogeys with a three-birdie string from No. 14.
With a 214 total, Chan built some cushion heading to the final 18 holes of the two-part qualifiers that will select the three players who will banner the national team in the SEA Games the country is hosting from Nov. 30 to Dec. 10.
Ramos, who surged ahead of the field with a 70 Wednesday, recovered from a disastrous opening 40 with a sizzling backside rally, hitting five birdies for a closing 31 that kept the young shotmaker in the hunt for one of the coveted spots in the Phl squad.
The 15-year-old Ramos saved a 71 for a 217 while first round co-leader Luis Castro also bounced back from a second round 78 with a 71 to get back into the thick of things in the grueling event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines. He assembled a 218 for third.
