Ramos stays in hunt as Luisita bites back in Philippine ADT Open
MANILA, Philippines — Sean Ramos showcased grit and composure under demanding afternoon conditions, battling Luisita Golf and Country Club’s unforgiving layout for a 71 that kept him firmly in the hunt halfway through the Philippine ADT Open in Tarlac on Thursday.
While Argentina’s Franco Scorzato surged into the lead with a sparkling six-under 66, Ramos weathered another stern examination from a course that has punished even the slightest mistakes, finishing at 139 after 36 holes and remaining within striking distance entering the final two rounds of the $100,000 Asian Development Tour event.
Coming off an impressive opening 68 highlighted by an eagle, Ramos mixed four birdies with three bogeys for a 35-36 card. He birdied No. 5 on his homeward stretch and fought through a challenging day where scoring opportunities were scarce, slipping to a share of 12th but staying very much in contention.
The same could not be said for junior standout Shinichi Suzuki, whose promising charge unraveled on a course that has shown little mercy, particularly on the demanding back nine.
After matching Ramos’ opening-round 68, Suzuki electrified the morning wave with four birdies on the front side, including three straight from No. 7, reaching eight-under overall and briefly thrusting himself into serious title contention.
But Luisita struck back.
The Manila Southwoods ace bogeyed the 13th, then ran into further trouble on the treacherous par-3 No. 17, where he dropped two shots. Any hopes of salvaging a low round disappeared on the daunting finishing hole, where another bogey completed a disappointing inward 40 and a 72.
His two-day total of 140 dropped him into a tie for 17th alongside a group that included local veterans Angelo Que and Rupert Zaragosa.
Que also threatened early after gunning down three birdies at the front before Luisita’s closing stretch took its toll. He settled for an even-par 70, his second straight, after a bogey on the 16th. Zaragosa likewise carded a second consecutive 70 behind four birdies against two bogeys.
The demanding layout, however, belonged to Scorzato, who produced one of the tournament’s finest rounds, firing a 66 to seize control at 134. Taiwan’s Su Ching Hung stood one stroke behind at 135 after a 70, while Macau’s Kelvin Si carded a 68 to claim solo third at 136, setting up an intriguing battle over the final 36 holes.
Overnight leader Thomas Plumb of England experienced firsthand how quickly fortunes can change at Luisita. After opening with a brilliant 64, he stumbled to a 74, a dramatic 10-shot swing punctuated by a costly double bogey on the water-guarded penultimate hole. He tumbled into a tie for eighth at 138, now four shots off the lead.
Further down the leaderboard, Russel Bautista and Fidel Concepcion posted 141s after rounds of 71 and 73, respectively, for a share of 26th while amateur Rico Daniel bounced back from an opening 72 with a solid 70 to reach 142 and join Art Arbole (71), Randy Garalde (72), Ryan Lam (74) and Clyde Mondilla (72) at 31st.
Keanu Jahns carded a 73 after a first-round 71, while Jeffren Lumbo followed an opening 68 with a struggling 76 as both players survived the cut at 144.
Their narrow escape underscored the severity of the Luisita challenge. With tight fairways, strategically placed hazards and unpredictable surfaces, the course has demanded precision at every turn. The closing stretch has proven especially decisive, turning potential birdies into bogeys and forcing contenders to stay patient until the very last putt.
With the leaderboard tightly packed and Luisita showing no signs of easing its grip, the final two rounds promise a fierce test of both skill and nerve.
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