Zarate fires solid 65, up by two shots

LIPA CITY, Batangas, Philippines  – Danny Zarate came charging home with a flawless, eagle-spiked seven-under 65 to wrest a two-stroke lead from Marvin Dumandan at the start of the ICTSI Classic at the Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club here yesterday.

Zarate bucked the wind in one of the late afternoon flights with a dazzling show of shotmaking as he matched the course record with five birdies and an eagle on a 32-33 card.

Dumandan shot a 67, also spiked by an eagle, in the morning flight and appeared headed for claiming the first day honors until the dusky Zarate barged into the clubhouse with that stirring 65.

The 29-year-old Dumandan, who eagled the final hole to beat Elmer Salvador by two strokes in the ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational in Davao late last year, birdied three of the last seven holes to complete a 33-34 card at the Mt. Lobo and Mt. Malipunyo nines.

Diminutive Joenard Rates came up big with a 68, another eagle-laden round that included three birdies against a bogey as he snatched third place, one shot ahead of Juanito Pagunsan, who also made an eagle-aided 69 in what could be the veteran campaigner’s best start in years.

Vic Santia also emerged the other surprise contender in the P1 million, 54-hole championship, the kickoff leg of the 10-leg Philippine Golf Tour put up by ICTSI, as he turned in a two-under 70 also spiked by an eagle-3 on the reachable No. 9.

While majority of the starting 78-player field struggled on Mt. Malarayat’s undulating putting surface, Dumandan flourished with just 25 putts despite hitting only nine greens in a windy day.

“I think I was just lucky to have made those putts from around 8-10 feet,” said Dumandan. “It is really hard to putt here but one can score with good approach shots.”

Zarate proved awesome from tee-to-green, picking up shots on Nos. 5 and 7 then joining eight others who eagled the 514-yard No. 9.

Sustaining his form, Zarate came away with back-to-back birdies from No. 10 to complete a four-under card in three holes then birdied the par-3 15th for that 65 that tied Mars Pucay’s feat in the second round of the Asean Tour last year.

Dumandan actually bucked a bogey start with 8-foot birdies on Nos. 2 and 5 then hit a 7-iron second shot from 200 yards to within four feet for eagle on the ninth.