Golden hopes soar as Bregente sizzles in Nomura Cup opener
MANILA, Philippines — Rolando Bregente delivered a performance worthy of the spotlight, firing a three-under 69 to seize the individual lead and spark the Philippines’ quest for a historic breakthrough in the Nomura Cup at the Bayhood No. 9 International Golf Club in China on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old showcased sharp form with near-flawless shotmaking, precise iron play and steady putting. Taking advantage of calm early-morning conditions, Bregente birdied the par-5 second hole before settling into a steady run of pars. He added two more birdies on Nos. 11 and 15 to reach three-under. Despite a minor setback on the 16th, he quickly recovered with a birdie on the par-5 No. 17 to close out with a 34, opening a one-stroke cushion over two rivals from Hong Kong.
Bregente’s strong opening round pushed him ahead of Jeffrey Shen and Markus Lam, who matched 70s. Shen recovered from a 1-over card through 14 holes by finishing with three birdies over his final four, while Lam posted a blistering 33 on the front nine before dropping shots late on the back nine.
Malaysia’s Aiden Kei Bin Ahmad Shaharuddin birdied four of the last six holes to card a 71 and join Japan’s Mao Matsuyama and Taisei Nagasaki at fourth with local standout Jing Guo Cui and Vietnam’s Tuan Anh Nguyen posting identical 72s.
Beyond his individual achievement, Bregente’s round fueled a strong start for the Philippines in the team event, where the best two scores from three players count each day. Jet Hernandez secured a crucial last-hole birdie to salvage a 73 — placing him tied for ninth individually — and bringing the team's combined opening score to a two-under 142.
The Philippines shares second place with Japan, trailing team leader Hong Kong (140) by just two strokes. Shinichi Suzuki recorded a non-counting 75 after a difficult stretch on the back nine.
China and Vietnam stood three shots further back at 145 with Thailand at sixth with 146.
The country has never won a gold medal in either individual or team play in the history of the biennial championship, which drew 21 countries this year. However, with Bregente leading the field and the team firmly in contention, the Philippine contingent has set high expectations for a potential title run.
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