Bayron pounces on Sangil’s shaky windup, keeps lead

Jay Bayron lost a four-shot lead as he lost his touch in the early going but recovered in time to salvage a 73 and regain a two-stroke margin over chief rival Raymund Sangil in the third round of the Samsung Amateur Tour’s second leg at the Sta. Elena Golf Club course in Cabuyao, Laguna yesterday.

Sangil actually fought back from four strokes down to seize the lead heading to the last five holes but bogeyed two of them, enabling Bayron to wheel back on top of the heap with a 54-hole aggregate of 218. The former national team mainstay fired a solid 71 Wednesday to post a four-shot lead.

Sangil’s faltering finish at the well-maintained but challenging layout dropped him back to second at 220 after a 71 that nevertheless proved to be the best output in a day of soaring scores.

But Lyndon Barril produced the day’s biggest shot – a hole-in-one on No. 14 — although the ace hardly moved him closer to the leaders with a 227 after a 75.

With the rest of the surviving field too far behind to contend for leg honors, expected a shootout between Bayron and Sangil in today’s final round of the event sponsored by Samsung and backed by Tokyo Tokyo, Gatorade, Philippine Airlines, adidas Taylor Made, KZG by Custom Clubmakers, Pink Patio Boracay, Coppertone Sport, Oakley and Rogin-E with Killer-Bee, Jam 88.3, Wave 89.1, Magic 89.9, 99.5 RT and 103.5 K-Lite as media partners.

Ronnie Torrecampo limped with an 82 for a 232 while jungolfer Terence Macatangay stood two strokes behind at 234 after a 78. Miko Alejandro, another jungolfer, also made an 82 to remain in sixth place with 237 followed by Bong Brobio (83-244), Miko Yee (87-249) and Santiago Gabo, a protégé from Bacolod of PSC chair Eric Buhain, (89-252) in that order.

Tonlit Asistio, who was in seventh at the start of the round, was disqualified.