Ababa-Echavez takes 1-shot Pro-Am lead

ANTIPOLO , Philippines  – Edgar Ababa and Paul Echavez, Davao natives who learned to play the game at tough Apo Golf, on Monday churned out a four-over-par 76 in alternate play to take a one-shot lead in the first I-Fit PGAP Pro-Am at the Valley’s South layout here.

Ababa, who was one of the country’s top pros in the 1980s, and Echavez, a mainstay of the Canlubang PAL Interclub squad, had three birdies to lead the Juanito Pagunsan-Ricky delos Santos squad going into the final round where play shifts to aggregate.

The winning team in this P400,000 event supported by Valley president Bonifacio Sumbilla and GM Bong Vilchez and organized by PGAP president Jun Bustamante will receive P75,000, with the amateur entitled to 30% of the purse.

Solomon Gines and partner, 11-year-old Rupert Saragoza, fashioned out a 78 under calm conditions to be tied with the teams of Jess and JR Casas and Ernie Rellon Jan Tambogon.

Only 20 of the starting field of 95 teams made it to the final round, with the Richard Sinfuego-Richard Lim, Edwin Estrera-Manolito Basmayor and Eddie Bagtas-Richard Kim combines all just another shot back after 79s.