Vintage Miñoza catches rising stars

DASMARIñAS, Cavite, Philippines – Frankie Miñoza checked an impending skid with a final hole birdie for a four-under 68, keeping the veteran campaigner in step with a fast-rising pro and a former top amateur at the start of the rich ICTSI Orchard Golf Championship at the Orchard’s Palmer Course in Dasmariñas, Cavite yesterday.

Miñoza, out to make up for his joint 44th finish in the Philippine Open at Wack Wack last Sunday, surprised the star-studded field with a three-birdie binge from No. 1, added four more birdies against two bogeys in the next 12 holes to surge ahead only to sputter with back-to-back bogeys from No. 16.

But US Seniors Tour campaigner rebounded typical Miñoza fashion, birdying the last hole to put the former two-time Phl Open champion into the clubhouse lead with Ferdie Aunzo and Jhonnel Ababa.

The other fancied bets, including Jay Bayron, Angelo Que and Juvic Pagunsan, teed off late and were stranded by an almost two-hour delay due to thunderstorm and were still playing at presstime.

Aunzo, 30, likewise capped his round with a birdie on No. 9, also after fumbling with bogeys on Nos. 7 and 8 that hampered his bid to wrest the solo lead in the P2.5 million, 54-hole tournament serving as the third leg of the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour.

Ababa, on the other hand, put himself in early contention with a pair of 34s, spiking a rare strong start with two birdies at the back.

“This is only my sixth tournament as a pro so I’m hoping to do good this year, perhaps come up with a better performance here,” said the 26-year-old Ababa, a sophomore pro who turned in a pair of 11th place finishes in his last two tournaments on the local circuit, in Filipino.

He actually had a chance to seize the solo lead but flubbed a five-foot birdie putt on the 18th.

“I was hoping to make it because I know it would give me better score,” rued Ababa, who hit six birdies in all, including a pair of 10-footers on the third and ninth and a 15-foot putt on No. 13.

Elmer Salvador likewise made his move early at the back, birdying three of the first five holes and went on to finish with a 69 for solo fourth, one stroke behind the leading troika, while Tony Lascuña, Orlan Sumcad and amateur Zanie Boy Gialon stood at joint fifth with 70s.

“I struggled with my shots and I needed to improve on it for me to get a good chance of winning here,” said the soft-spoken Salvador in Filipino.

Lascuña, who lost the crown to Benjie Magada in the second playoff hole here last year, bucked a double-bogey mishap on No. 4 with four birdies while the power-hitting Sumcad blew a chance to grab the solo lead as he dropped three shots in the last three holes at the front, including a double-bogey on No. 8.

Gialon, meanwhile, held his own against flightmate Miñoza and Robert Pactolerin as the ICTSI-The Country Club bet birdied two of the last nine holes at the back for a 36-34 card.

Antonio Asistio II, Gene Bondoc and Anthony Fernando came through with 71s for the day’s only under-par scores while rookie pro Miguel Tabuena blew hot and cold and wound up with a 72, the same scores turned in by Korean amateur Byung Kyu Cho, last year’s Phl Open titlist Artemio Murakami, Ebarra Quiachon, Cookie La O’ and Rolando Marabe.

The tournament is organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.