BAGUIO – James Ryan Lam matched par 69 at the Camp John Hay Golf Club to pace the field in the Championship Flight of the second leg of the Samsung Amateur Tour here yesterday.
The 19-year-old Lam mixed three birdies with the same number of bogeys at the up-and-down layout to card a 69 and post a one-stroke lead over Paul Echavez at the start of the event, the second of the five-leg series sponsored by Samsung Electronics Philippines, Inc.
Echavez, 20, made a 70 while the fancied Korean trio of Shin Jin Woo, Ahn Joon and Koh Seng Min, who regularly play here, turned in 73, 74 and 75, respectively.
Local bet Chester Calpotura failed to flash his familiarity with the short but challenging layout as he stumbled with 76 in a tie with Young Jae Bae in the centerpiece event.
In Class C, Bayani Tecson showed the way with a 79 for a one-shot lead over Hin Jun Kim, who carded an 80. Benny Pul-oc, Par Hee Seo and Rafael Ding share third place with 82s.
Meanwhile, hostilities in classes A and B, the ladies division and special championship will be played today.
One hundred seventy players in Baguio and Manila are seeing action in the four-day championship backed by Mizuno, Autohub, Callaway, Wow Magic Sing, Titleist, Custom Clubmakers, Gargol, Wave 89.1 and the newly opened The Cliffs at Thunderbird Resort-Poro Point.
PacSports Philippines and Autohub are staking a Club Car (No. 18) and a Sinski motorcycle (No. 4), respectively, for hole-in-one feats. – Andy Zapata