Bayron flawless with 68, up by 1

MANILA, Philippines – Bayron, back in the local circuit after a stint on the Asian Tour the last c ouple of months, took advantage of a early wind-less morning flight to shoot four birdies, including three at the front that spiked his solid start in the 54-hole tournament.

Winner of the Aboitiz Invitational in Cebu last August, Bayron is running second to Juvic Pagunsan in the OOM race, needing no less than a victory in the P1 million final leg of the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour to snatch the tour title.

Pagunsan chased Bayron with a 33 start at the back in one of the late-afternoon flights only to reel back with back-to-back bogeys from No. 7, dropping to jointh seventh with three-leg winner Marvin Dumandan and Cookie La’O at 71.

That enabled Cassius Casas, who snatched the ICTSI-Del Monte leg crown when Elmer Salvador, Richard Sinfuego and Pagunsan were disqualified on a final hole infraction, Elmer Saban and amateur Miguel Ochoa to assume the challengers’ role with similar three-under 69s.

Casas missed joining Bayron at the helm with a last-hole bogey mishap but the former country’s No. 1 still launched his bid with a 36-33 spiked by an eagle-3 on No. 14 and birdies on Nos. 15 and 17.

“I had an up-and-down start and my game only got going after I eagled the 14th,” said Casas in Filipino, referring his 4-iron second shot from 200 yards that landed inches within the cup. He knocked down a 15-foot birdie putt on the next then rolled a four-footer on No. 17 to tie Bayron.

He, however, mishit his drive on the 18th and missed the green on a lay-up shot then flubbed a six-foot par putt to drop into the tie with Saban and Ochoa.

Saban, another bet from talent-rich Davao, also got into the mix with two birdies on his homeward trip at the front for a 34-35 card on a hot but windy day.

Antonio Asistio II, the former amateur hotshot seeing his breakthrough win on the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., birdied two of the last five holes at the front to salvage a two-under 70 for joint fifth with Jong Laput.

Dumandan, chasing a third straight win after topping the ICTSI-Royal Northwoods and ICTSI-Mimosa legs, hit three birdies but fumbled with two bogeys to settle for a 71 in a tie with Pagunsan and La’O,

Tony Lascuña, out to snap a long title drought on the tour sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., matched par 72 on a three-birdie, three-bogey stint to join Artemio Murakami, Elmer Salvador, Christopher delos Santos, Orlan Sumcad and amateurs Carl Santos-Ocampo and Paul Echavez in 10th.

Jhonnel Ababa, making his pro debut on the course he calls home, opened up with a birdie on No. 10 but failed to come up with another, hobbling with two bogeys for a 73 in a tie with veteran Robert Pactolerin, Albin Engino, Randy Garalde, Ruben Sasutil and Erwin Arcillas and amateur Peter Villaber of the ICTSI-The Country Club team.

The event is backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Jaguar, Land Rover, Studio 23, Balls TV, Srixon/Cleveland Golf, Callaway Golf and Odyssey and media partners BusinessMirror, Inquirer Golf Monthly, A Round of Golf, Pinoygolfer.com and Omnisource.