Casas secures lead in buffeting winds

DASMARINAS, Cavite – Cassius Casas couldn’t quite pull away from the field on a wind-blown day, but it must have felt good to be able to hang tough and stay in the title hunt on a Friday afternoon again.

"Hindi nakalayo pero wala ring masyadong nakadikit sa lakas ng hangin. Minsan lahat ng dasal pagkapalo kailangan mo dahil hindi mo alam kung saan dadalhin ng hangin ang bola mo," said Casas, after he came in with his worst-ever card in three days — a 74.

But that proved enough to keep the dusky Southwoods pro on top of the heap in the First Gentleman’s Golf Circuit with a 214 as the rest of the field also succumbed to the most severe playing conditions at the Palmer Course of the Orchard Golf and Country Club here.

As ferocious winds shook the mangoes off the tree branches, it did the same to a host of players in the leaderboard, enabling the others to wheel back into contention heading into the final 18 holes of this event fast shaping up to be a battle of survival.

Casas, one of the power-hitters on the tour, worked his way around the wind-lashed course with all the patience he could muster and after a punishing day when three birdies proved less for the five-bogey errors he had, a two-over-par card was just right for him to keep his two-stroke lead over Rodrigo Cuello intact.

Winner of two legs in this 12-stage series bankrolled by First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and presented by San Miguel Beer, Casas admitted that with the wind conditions worsening each passing day, his chances today hinge on a hole-per-hole basis.

"Kung ganitong pagrabe ng pagrabe ang kondisyon, mahirap talagang masabi ang tsansa mo dito," said Casas, whose 4-iron approach shot from 160 yards at one point and an 8-iron for a 190-yard downwind shot on another, typified his day-long struggle.

But the worsening condition likewise brought out the worse in his rivals.

Cuello, the veteran who is all fired up to end his long losing streak, had two bogeys on the last three holes like Casas, settling for a 74 to stay in second place at 216.

Robert Pactolerin, another top gun racing against time to notch a first win in a revived circuit supported by WG&A Super Ferry, stayed four shots adrift of the three-day leader with another 74, tying him for third (218) with Rey Pagunsan who stumbled with a 75 after sizzling with a 67 Wednesday.

Pagunsan, winner of the Tagaytay Midlands leg of a series organized by the Federation of Golf Clubs Philippines Inc. last week, was actually looking forward to a fine day until he dropped three strokes in succession from No. 15.

The scoring average soared to 77 and one of those who tumbled down the leaderboard was Edwin Estreta, who shot a 66 in the second round but shot himself in the foot Thursday with a 79. He fell to solo 12th at 222.

Tomo Yoshinago, the Japanese who placed second in the Philippine Open at Riviera three years ago, was very much in the fight in his bid to become the first foreign victor, scoring a 75 to join rookie pro Cookie LaO at 219.

Next at 220 came another rookie pro Angelo Que, who fired the day’s best round of even-par 72, and veterans Richard Sinfuego, Danny Zarate and Eddie Bagtas.