Dacudao shows up stars

CANLUBANG -- While focus was on the mainstays of the powerhouse teams from Southwoods, Luisita and the host club, a Davao bet came through with a spetacular round to steal the thunder from the favorites.

Louie Dacudao, perhaps reminding everyone that Davao remains the spawning ground of golf talents in the country, fired a two-under 70 yesterday to post a one-stroke lead over Cangolf's Juvic Pagunsan at the start of the DHL-NGAP men's amateur golf championship at the north course of the Canlubang Golf and Country Club.

Birdies on the last two holes capped Dacudao's 35-35 round which he spiked with solid iron plays and steady stint on the greens of the course know for its sleek, unpredictable putting surface.

Dacudao bucked the galeforce wind that bedevilled the bids of the fancied bets to find himself the bewildered leader in this 72-hole stroke play event featuring the cream of the country's amateur crop.

That he did it under the most challenging conditions -- with the wind blowing all over and the pin placements at their most difficult positions -- spoke well of the caliber of the 24-year-old shotmaker from Davao, who lost the Philippine amateur crown to Elmer Salvador in the 1998 final at Alabang.

"Considering the difficult playing condition, I was only expecting a one-over par card. But I hit it well from tee to green, except on those par 3s which I overshot," said the boyish looking bet of the Luisita team in next month's PAL Interclub, referring to the three par 3s he overshot for bogeys.

For a while, Pagunsan, a national pool member, stood as the best player with a 33 at the back. But back-to-back bogeys from No. 6 stymied the bid of the 21-year-old Canlubang mainstay, who settled for a 71.

Pagunsan led the attack of the Canlubang bets with three others landing in the top 10 -- Tommy Manotoc, Solomon Gines and Rolly Viray.

Manotoc three-putted No. 18 for a 73 to tie Jong Laput for third while Gines and Viray had 75s for a share of eighth place.

Gerard Cantada, making his comeback in the NGAP-staged event, shot a 74 to tie Southwoods' Junjun Plana and reigning national champion Artemio Murakami, while Luisita's Iggy Clavecilla carded a 76 for a share of 10th place with Jose Mari Hechanova, Juami Rocha, JR Tanpinco, Ruperto Saragoza Jr., Cangolf's Luigi Yulo and ex-pro Tom Concon.

Luisita's main man Angelo Que had a 78.