Orlan Sumcad shoots 69, ties Carlos at helm

MANILA, Philippines — Orlan Sumcad recovered from a horrid second round stint with a three-under 69 yesterday, banking on a near-impeccable long game and bucking tough pin placements to force a tie with Jobim Carlos in the P3 million ICTSI Villamor Philippine Masters heading to another thriller of a finish at the Villamor Golf Club.

Sumcad, who dropped off a lead share in the first round with an atrocious 76 Thursday, came through with back-to-back birdies from No. 16 to cap a 33-36 card and wrest control at four-under 212, which Carlos later matched with a closing birdie for a 74.

But Jerson Balasabas and Joenard Rates stayed right behind at 213 despite going over par after a 74 and a 75, respectively, while Nilo Salahog and Gerald Rosales assembled identical 214s after a 70 and 73, respectively, pointing to another wild, wooly finish the way it was in the revival of the fabled event sponsored by ICTSI last year.

Clyde Mondilla came back from four down in the final round and nipped Tony Lascuña, Jhonnel Ababa and American Nicholas Paez to win here last year with a scrambling finish again expected in the last 18 holes of the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.