Corpus-Katsuragawa takes charge with 135

MANILA, Philippines - Yuto Katsuragawa bucked a bogey opening and a double-bogey finish with a cluster of birdies to fire a three-under 65 while partner Carl Corpus carded a 70 as they pooled a 135 in aggregate play to grab the lead in the second round of the NGAP National Doubles Amateur Golf Championship at Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club in QC yesterday.

Counting their 66 in the four-ball Wednesday, Corpus and Katsuragawa assembled a 201 for a four-shot lead over Ryan Monsalve (74) and Lanz Uy (67), who combined for a 141 and a 205 heading to the final round of the 54-hole championship where play shifts to two-ball foursome in the event sponsored by the PLDT Group, the MVP Sports Foundation, Smart and Metro Pacific Investment Corp.

Ira Alido and Paolo Wong, who sizzled with a 62 in the first round, struggled in the aggregate format with the former limping with a 74 and the latter carding a 73 for a 147. They slid to third at 209.

Gab Manotoc shot a 71 while Jelbert Gamolo hobbled with a 74 for a 145 and 210 for fourth and the Magcalayo brothers – Jolo (75) and Jonas (73) – assembled a 212 after a 148. Raymart Tolentino (74) and Carlo Villaroman (78) stood at 216 after a 152 in the tournament held as part of the National Amateur Golf Tour and hosted by CAGC.

Carlo Gatmaytan (73) and Tomi Arejola (78) carded a 151 for a 221 in a tie with the Paqo Barro (82)-Joseph Orbito (74) pair, who shot a 156, while Bianca Pagdanganan (74) and Diana Araneta (83) made 157 for a 222 followed by Harmie Constantino (74) and Gabriel Macalaguim (81), who had a 223 after a 155.

The 18-year-old Katsuragawa, spearhead of Manila Southwoods in its various club title runs, including the recent Fil-Am Championship in Baguio, stumbled with a bogey on the first hole but fought back with birdies on Nos. 3 and 4. He dropped a shot on the sixth but birdied Nos. 8 and 9.

He sustained the momentum at the back and hit two more birdies on Nos. 10 and 12, dropped a shot on the next but recovered with birdies on Nos. 14 and 17 before holing out with a 7.

Corpus also held his ground with a two-birdie, two-bogey stint at the front but also wavered at the finish with three straight bogeys from No. 15 after a birdie on the 14th for that 70.

The reed-thin Uy also rebounded from a bogey start with four birdies in the next 11 holes but bogeyed two of the last six to settle for a 67. In contrast, Monsalved birdied No. 1 but struggled the rest of the way, ending up with a pair of 37s for a 74.

Impressive in four-ball play, Wong and Alido sputtered individually with the former needing to rally with a 34 at the back to save a 73 and the latter also putting in a pair of 37s.

Meanwhile, Matthew Abalos and Don Petil kept the lead in Group II with a 150 for a 217, four shots ahead of Riggs Illescas and Pierre Ticzon, who pooled a 221 after a 151 while Josh Jorge and Gilbert Purcia turned in a 154 for a 222 and Leandro Bagtas and Alexi Garzon fell by 11 at 228 after a 156.

Ricky delos Santos and Bobby Arcillas, on the other hand, virtually clinched the Group III crown with a 218 after a 152, 12 shots over Eddie Bagtas and Bobby Iñigo, who combined for a 154 for a 230, while Vic Se and August Cruz scored a 233 after a 161.