Gines, Iggy show way in Cangolf

CANLUBANG – Host club bet Solomon Gines rattled in three birdies in the first four holes in a stirring start in the second Canlubang Amateur Open Golf Championship, sharing first-round honors with Luisita’s Iggy Clavecilla with identical two-under 70s yesterday at the South course of the Canlubang complex.

Gines birdied the first, second and fourth holes to gain enough cushion for a 37 in the backnine as the former national team member drew level with Clavecilla after the opening round with a two-stroke lead over defending champion Marlon Dizon of Wack Wack and another host club bet Juvic Pagunsan.

Clavecilla lost two strokes early on a double-bogey mishap on No. 2 but rallied with birdies on Nos. 4, 5, 9 and 14 for a 35-35 round.

Canlubang teammates Ruby Walker and Lucy Landicho fired three-over 75s to show the way in the ladies’ division while Dave Hernandez of Calatagan carded a one-over 73 to pace the men’s group II competition.

Canlubang entries Carmelette Villaroman and Mari Hechanova were breathing down the leaders’ necks in ladies and men’s group II with a 77 and a 74, respectively.

Gines got off to a good start that he even went four under on two occasions only to fumble what could have been solo leadership at the end of the round with a sorry bogey-bogey finish.

Still, Gines outclassed the field that included SEA Games-bound national players Pagunsan, Jay Bayron (36-39), Boyet Saragoza (36-42) and Marvin Dumandan (40-40).

Bayron was tied with Hanson So (37-38) at sixth place, trailing Gines, Clavecilla, Dizon (36-36), Pagunsan (36-36) and Ronnie Torrecampo (36-37).

A shot behind Bayron and So was Rolly Viray (38-38), then came Saragoza, Jong Laput (38-40) and Raymund Sangil (38-40).