Gialon, Monsalve show way

CAVINTI, Laguna­­, Philippines — Zanieboy Gialon outduelled Clyde Mondilla with an early birdie blitz then held sway at the back to fire a 67 and seize a one-stroke lead over Joenard Rates at the start of the ICTSI Caliraya Springs Championship here yesterday.

Gialon, the 2017 ICTSI Calatagan winner, birdied four of the first six holes inside 12 feet then bucked a two-bogey mishap at the back with three birdies to upstage the more fancied Mondilla, a playoff loser to absentee Miguel Tabuena at the ICTSI Luisita Championsip in Tarlac last month.

The 32-year-old Davaoeño, whose campaign is backed by businessman Carlo Quimson and Coast Guard Admiral Roy Echeveria, used just 24 putts to highlight his 32-35 round and fuel his title drive in the P2 million championship sponsored by ICTSI.

Mondilla grappled with his balky putter at the front, mixing two birdies with the same number of bogeys but cranked up his game at the turn, gunning down an eagle on the par-5 No. 12 then closing out with two birdies against a bogey in the last three holes.

The former Philippine Open champion signed a 69 for solo third as the diminutive Rates took the early challenger’s role with a solid 68.

Meanwhile, Marvi Monsalve sizzled with a three-under 69 and found herself a bewildered leader in the Caliraya Springs Championship of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

Monsalve used a near-impeccable iron game to shoot four birdies against a bogey and come out of a windy day in command by two strokes over Chanelle Avaricio.

“I played it simple, hit a lot of greens but missed a lot of putts. But I was able to drop some,” said Monsalve, who tied for eighth at Luisita and limped to 12th place at Hallow Rid.