Magada, Cuello take charge

CAGAYAN de Oro — Three short misses with the putter down the stretch prevented Benjie Magada from breaking loose as the season’s hottest player settled for a share of the lead with Rodrigo Cuello after both fired three-under-par 69s yesterday at the start of the First Gentleman’s Professional Golf Circuit at the Pueblo de Oro course.

Magada, the tour’s only two-leg winner so far, was in full control of his game with a four-under card through 15 holes before he missed a three-footer for par, a birdie try from almost tap-in distance and another four-footer for birdie on his last hole.

That shaky windup by Magada allowed Cuello, returning from a failed attempt to regain his Asian Tour card, to pull even. Despite a sore back, Cuello birdied three of the four par-5s in a bogey-free round.

Just a stroke behind at 70 was Mars Pucay, who broke into the winners’ circle of the circuit bankrolled by First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and San Miguel Beer by topping last week’s Rancho Palos Verdes leg in Davao. Joining him were Rey Pagunsan and rookie pro Erwin Arcillas.

Ruben Sasutil, Vic Santia and Richard Sinfuego completed the cast of under-par scorers with their 71s in the opening round of the P600,000 tourney organized by the Federation of Golf Clubs Philippines, Inc. serving as the eighth leg of a nationwide circuit.

Pre-tournament favorite Frankie Miñoza, playing his second straight leg in the FG Circuit after a forgettable 15th place showing in his debut, could have been among those at the top if not for his own floundering finish.

Two under after 15 holes, Miñoza three-putted the 16th before a double-bogey disaster got him hard on the 17th where the Japan Tour campaigner hit his second shot into the hazard, reached the green in four then two-putted.

Miñoza was joined at 73 by his younger brother Peter, Eddie Bagtas and Cassius Casas, who missed taking a second leg win last week when he double-bogeyed the final hole.

They followed the trio of Ramon Brobio, Willie de Tomas and Sinfuego who were at level par.

Inconsistent with his putting since the start of the year and Magada feels he could have done better than his 14th place showing: "Maganda talaga ang palo, medyo tinatamaan lang ng malas minsan sa putting." Starting from No.10 which he bogeyed, he had six birdies (Nos. 11, 13, 17, 2, 5 and 6) that went with his other bogeys on the 18th and seventh.

Cuello used his power off the tee to set himself up for birdies on the sixth, eighth and 12th all of which played no shorter than 550 yards.