Balasabas wrests 3-shot lead with 70

CANLUBANG , Philippines  – Jerson Balasabas leaned on another solid game at the backside to card a two-under par 70 and open a three-stroke lead over erstwhile co-leader Wang Jeung Hyun halfway through the WWWExpress-DHL National Golf Championships at north course of Canlubang Golf and Country Club here yesterday.

Balasabas, who strung up three straight birdies from No. 12 to anchor his opening 68 Tuesday, birdied three of the last five holes at the back to cushion the impact of his faltering finish at the front for a 37-33 card.

He assembled a 36-hole of 138 with the ICTSI-Cangolf bet staying three strokes clear off Wang, who failed to match his impressive first round performance with three bogeys against two birdies.

The 14-year-old Wang, playing out of Riviera, stumbled with a 73 and slid to 141.

With the rest of the field failing to mount any charge in another wind-raked day, Balasabas could well have the Korean teener as the only threat in his title bid in the 72-hole championship sponsored by WWWExpress and DHL.

The World Amateurs veteran stood eight shots clear of third running Zanie Boy Gialon and nine behind the fancied pair of reigning national champion Mhark Fernando and Cangolf Am Open titlist Jhonnel Ababa heading into the final 36 holes of the event conducted by the National Golf Association of the Phils.

Gialon emerged the top bet from the ICTSI-The Country Club stable as he turned in a 73 for a 146 as erstwhile pursuer Erwin Madrileno, who started the day in solo third with a 70, reeled back with a six-over 78 and tumbled to joint sixth with teener Miguel Tabuena, who made a 74, and Noel Langamin, who had a 73.

Meanwhile, Chihiro Ikeda opened her bid for a third straight championship in the ladies side with a two-under 70, posting a two-shot lead over ICTSI-TCC teammate Sarah Ababa at the start of the 54-hole event.

Ikeda, the SEA Games individual gold medal winner, rammed in five birdies to negate a three-bogey mishap for a 36-34 card as she held off Ababa, who fired an eagle on the par-5 ninth to spike her 37-35 round for a 72.

Anya Tanpinco, a former two-time national champion, struggled with a 75 for joint third with Korean Kim Hui Mang while Sheryl Villacencio and Marvi Monsalve shot 76 and 77, respectively.

Dottie Ardina, fresh from her triumph in the Southern Ladies in Iloilo, limped home with six bogeys with no bogey to show for a 78, the same output put in by Lucy Landicho and Kim Min Gi.

Madrileno, 26, had four bogeys, a double-bogey and a triple-bogey against only three birdies for a 38-40 round.

Fernando, trying to add the WWWExpress-DHL Open title to his growing list of victories, including the low amateur honors in the recent The Country Club Invitational, gunned down three birdies but had four bogeys in another challenging day for a 73.

Ababa matched par 72 on a five-birdie, five-bogey output, moving up from joint 12th to a share of fourth with Fernando at 147.

Former champion Rufino Bayron continued to grope for form as he made a 74 for joint ninth with Korean Ok Jae Seong, who had a 75.