BAGUIO CITY – Jhonnel Ababa turned in the first under-par round of 59 at the short but tricky par-61 Baguio Country Club as Club Marinduque broke out from a two-way tie with Manila Southwoods with a 136 and into a whopping 9-point lead halfway through the 58th Fil-Am Invitational golf tournament here yesterday.
Ababa, member of the RP team seeing action in the SEA Games, rattled off six straight birdies from No. 3 but failed to sustain his sizzling start, fumbling with four bogeys at back before settling for that 59 worth 38 points.
Still, it was enough to power Club Marinduque to the lead with a 266 aggregate as siblings Jay Bayron and Rufino Bayron made 35 and 32 points, respectively, and either from Mark Fernando or Paul Echavez’s 31 points counted for the team in the five-to-play, four-to-count format event.
Manila Southwoods, which matched Club Marinduque’s opening score of 130, slowed down with a 127 with reigning national champion Anthony Fernando leading the charge with a one-over 62 for 35 points. Gene Bondoc had 33 points while Il Jin Chun and Tonton Asistio chipped in 30 and 29 points, respectively, for the Carmona-based squad, which had a 257.
Baguio City 3, meanwhile, wrested the lead in Fil B competitions as it pooled a 109 for a three-day haul of 300, two points ahead over Mamala Bay, which made 101 points for a 298.
Villa Cacho moved up to third spot with 290 after a 102 but Fairgolf Club of Sydney faded with a 90 and 285.
Guam Kool Swingers shot 82 points and continued to pace the Fil C division with a 293 aggregate, seven points ahead off Veterans Golf Club and another 10 over third-ranked Team Surigao.
Guam Kool Swingers also showed the way in Am B as it scored 77 points to pad its lead to seven points over the Rural Bankers heading into the final round.
Leo Ganacias had 23 points, Henry Leon Guerrero had 22 and a 18 and 14 from Dan Ganacias and Jerry Dominguez for the team’s 236 points. The Bankers had 74 for 229.
Yokosan tumbled down to third with a 227 after 70 points.