Phl joins S’pore at helm with eagle-aided 66

MANILA, Philippines - Fil-Am Jonathan delos Reyes blazed the Sherwood Hills layout and the field with an eagle-spiked six-under 66 yesterday, propelling Team Philippines to a share of the lead with Singapore at 213 in the Putra Cup in Trece Martirez, Cavite yesterday.

De los Reyes took charge when teammates Rico Hoey and Rupert Zaragosa struggled with a pair of three-over 75s, drawing support from Jobim Carlos who matched par 72 for the hosts’ 213 output – three shots ahead of defending champion Thailand in the four-to-play, three-to-count format event.

Marc Ong fired a two-under 70 while veteran campaigner Jerome Ng and Jonathan Woo added a 71 and 72 as the Singaporeans, winners in 2011 in Hong Kong, matched the title-hungry Filipinos’ impressive start.

Carlos rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th to salvage a 72 while Delos Reyes scrambled for par from six feet after missing the green from just about 100 yards.

“I don’t know what happened,” said Delos Reyes, who eagled the par-5 No. 12 from the fringe. “I know I hit that shot pure. It just fell short.”

Defending champion Thailand put on a rather slow start of 216 as Danthai Boonma and Sansaksin Poom both carded 71s and either Chanachok Dejpiratanamoi or Itthipat Buranatanyarat counted with a 74.

Malaysia pooled a 218 with fancied Gavin Green shooting a 70 and Abel Tam and Albright Chong adding a 73 and 75, respectively.

Zaragosa, who cracked par in all four rounds in ruling the Philippine Amateurs here two weeks ago, never recovered after dumping his tee-shot into left-side lagoon on No. 10.

“It was just all downhill from there,” said Zaragosa, 15. “I just couldn’t hit a good shot after that. The bogey didn’t affect me (mentally), but I just couldn’t swing right.”

Hoey also groped for form all day, saying: “I’m sorry, I can’t say much. I felt like I was in a slump all day.

Although Delos Reyes posted a four-shot lead in individual play, Green, who placed joint sixth in last week’s Selangor Masters, remains the player to watch in the next three days.

“It’s not bad for the first day, there’s a lot of golf left,” said Green.

Meanwhile, the Phl women’s team scored a 150 and trailed Singapore by three shots in Santi Cup while the national junior women’s squad assembled a 144 to trail Thailand by one in the inaugural Kartini Cup.

Regina de Guzman carded a 73 while Simone Hoey and Katrina Briones both had 77s, one of which counted in the three-to-play, two-to-count event.

Amanda Tan shot a 70 while Sock Hwee Kho had a 77 for Singapore.

Bianca Pagdanganan shot a 70 and Pauleen Del Rosario backed her up with 74 for the Phl’s 144 as top ICTSI player Princess Superal skied to a 77.

Thailand got 71 from Pharinda Phokan and 72 from Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphi.