Chan seizes solo lead in SEAG elims with 68

MANILA, Philippines — Aidric Chan finally dished out the form expected from a player of his caliber, banking on a solid frontside charge to take control with a four-under 68 for a three-stroke lead over erstwhile frontrunner Sean Ramos in the third round of Stage 1 of the SEA Games men’s team qualifier at the Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac yesterday.

After back-to-back 73s to force a four-way tie at the top, the reigning national junior champion got his long game and iron play going, producing three birdies in the first nine holes then bucking two backside bogeys with a three-birdie string from No. 14.

With a 214 total, Chan built some cushion heading to the final 18 holes of the two-part qualifiers that will select the three players who will banner the national team in the SEA Games the country is hosting from Nov. 30 to Dec. 10.

Ramos, who surged ahead of the field with a 70 Wednesday, recovered from a disastrous opening 40 with a sizzling backside rally, hitting five birdies for a closing 31 that kept the young shotmaker in the hunt for one of the coveted spots in the Philippine squad.

The 15-year-old Ramos saved a 71 for a 217 while first round co-leader Luis Castro also bounced back from a second round 78 with a 71 to get back into the thick of things in the grueling event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines. He assembled a 218 for third.

But a host of others stood within sight of the three berths with Carl Corpus pooling a 219 despite a 73 and Kristoffer Arevalo rebounding from a 79 with a 70 to move to joint fifth at 221 with Gab Manotoc, who co-led in the first round but slipped with a second round 77 and a 75.

Ivan Monsalve also rallied with a 70 for a share of seventh at 223 with Edward Dy, who hobbled with a 75, while Alexander Bisera carded a 74 and Lanz Uy and Paolo Wong shot identical 75s for 224s in the event sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, the PLDT Group, Cignal and Metro Pacific and hosted by Luisita.

The top 12 players plus ties and those within 10 strokes of the leading scorer after Stage I will move to Stage 2 on June 10-13, also at Luisita, which will host the SEAG golf competitions, making this two-stage elims a sort of training for those who will make the team.

Chan, who also anchored his team-up with Rey Pagunsan in their National pro-am victory at Splendido last month, birdied Nos. 3, 7 and 9 to gain the solo lead. Though he dropped a stroke on the 10th, he struck back with those three straight birdies but holed out with another bogey on the 18th.

Ramos groped for form early, dropping two strokes on the tricky par-3 second hole and bogeyed the next and seventh to make the turn at 40. But he put on a remarkable rally at the back, birdying Nos. 10, 12, 15, 16 and 18 to wheel back into strong contention for one of the national team slots.