Ferdinand Aunzo turned in a second straight one-under-par 71 to wrest the lead from ICTSI teammate Miko Alejandro with one round to go in the fourth leg of the Pilipinas Amateur Golf Tour presented by Samsung at the Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club course.
Aunzo, who topped the recent national team qualifier, assembled a 142 aggregate for a two-stroke lead over Alejandro, who carded a 74, and Mike Bibat, who also fired a 71.
South Korean Jae Min-koo submitted another 73 and landed at 146 in the company of reigning Philippine Open Amateur champion Anthony Fernando, who rebounded from an opening 76 with a 70.
Another ICTSI player, Dante Bisera, was six shots off Aunzo at 148 following his second consecutive 74. Venjo Reyes caught up with Bisera after a 73.
Benjie Sarmiento turned in the day’s best score of three-under 69 for a 149.
Showing the form that made him the Malarayat Active-Mid Amateur champion, Sarmiento cruised past South Koreans Sung Bin-yoon (75-151) and Hyung Gi-Jeon (76-152) and Abe Avena (75-152) entering the last 18 holes of the event organized by the Professional Sports Management, Inc.
Asian Games veteran Gene Bondoc tumbled with a 77 and missed the cut at 152 by one stroke.
Earlier, Bueno Macatangay ruled men’s Class D while Bo Tuason topped Class C.
In the women’s division, Beverly Mendoza topped Class A, South Korean Yi Yeon-Lee Class B and Dulce Arrioila Class C.
Like the early stages of the course-hopping series, a Samsung 32-inch LCD TV is being dangled as a hole-in-one prize.
The fifth and concluding leg will be held at Sherwood Hills Nov. 26-29.
Major backers of the series are Callaway Golf, Titleist-Footjoy by Dynamic Sports Corp. and Mizuno.