Sinfuego wrests lead in the rain

MANILA, Philippines - Richard Sinfuego shot a one-under par 70 under wet conditions to gain the clubhouse lead in the rain-marred first round of the Philippine Golf Tour-ICTSI Riviera Championship at Riviera’s Langer course in Silang, Cavite yesterday.

Day-long rain spawned by Typhoon “Maring” submerged some holes on the hazard-laden par-71 layout, thus slowing down play with half of the starting 80-player field taking close to eight hours to complete play in the morning session. The organizers later suspended the last few flights due to darkness.

Sinfuego, winless halfway through the 10-stage circuit sponsored by the International Container Terminals Services, Inc., came out virtually unscathed from those series of delays, stringing nines of 34-36 to post a provisional one-stroke lead over Ruben Sasutil, who also survived the ordeal to match par 71.

Sinfuego, who finished second to Frankie Miñoza in the Pueblo de Oro leg, rammed in four birdies but fumbled with three bogeys and was lucky to produce the lone under-par round under tough playing condition.

Sasutil, way below in 17th in the Order of Merit ranking, matched Sinfuego’s opening 34 but bogeyed the tough par-3 17th to settle for that 71, while Robert Pactolerin, out to atone for a missed cut stint in the last leg at Sherwood, birdied No. 14 to salvage a 73.

Elmer Salvador, winner of the Sherwood leg last July, never recovered from a three-bogey mishap in the frontside and wound up with three more at the back to finish with a birdie-less 77 in the company of Benjie Magada and six others.

Demetrio Sanchez carded two 37s to take the fourth spot at 74 while veteran campaigner Carito Villaroman birdied No. 16 to catch Joel Opaco and Kevin Tayao in fifth place with 75s, four shots behind Sinfuego heading into the last two rounds of the 54-hole tournament backed by MJCarr Golf Management, Pisanti, Srixon, FAMI, Business Mirror, Motorola, Omnisource, Nike Golf, Tiger Gatorade and Pepsico.

Danny Zarate, who ruled the kickoff leg of the revival of the pro tour at Mt. Malarayat, had a decent 37 at the turn but bogeyed three of the last five holes as he tumbled to joint eighth with 76.

Other five over par scorers were Omar Dungca, Christopher delos Santos, Ramil Bisera, Danilo delos Santos, Randy Garalde, Arnold Villacencio and Rodrigo Cuello and amateurs Rufino Bayron and Dino Villanueva.