Fil-German wrests control; Dottie up

MANILA, Philippines - Fil-German Keanu Jahns bucked the heat and a shaky windup as he carded a two-under 70 to charge into the lead as erstwhile leader LJ Go skied to a 78 halfway through the WWWExpress-DHL Amateur Golf Championship at Cangolf’s north course in Laguna yesterday.

Jahns hit three birdies in the first 12 holes but dropped a shot on the par-5 17th for a 35-35 card although it proved enough to carry the Alabang mainstay from joint seventh to the top of the heap at 145.

That was one stroke ahead of an equally charging Justin Quiban, who shot the day’s best score of 69, and John Kier Abdon and Gen Nagai, who turned in identical 74s for 146s while Wolen Superal stayed within striking distance at 147 after a 72.

Go, who fired a 70 to seize the first round lead, failed to recover from a disastrous frontside stint of 41, hobbling with a six-over card and tumbling down to joint sixth at 148 with Norman dela Peña (73) and Hwan Yoon Sung (76).

Dottie Ardina, meanwhile, fired a 71 to wrest a one-stroke lead over Pauline del Rosario and Chanelle Avaricio at the start of women’s play in the event serving as part of the PLDT Group Amateur Golf Tour.

Ardina made a strong start of two birdies at the front but bogeyed the par-3 11th and settled for a run of pars the rest of the way, enabling del Rosario and Avaricio to close in.

Ardina’s fellow ICTSI-The Country Club bets Abby Arevalo and Princess Superal also kept within sight with 73s.

Rupert Zaragosa, one of the fancied bets in the men’s side of the tournament backed by Pancake House, Nike, Golf Depot and Pacsports, blew a 35 start with a closing 38 but his 73 and a 150 put him five shots behind Jahns with still 36 holes to play.