ANTIPOLO – Keanu Jahns continued his stellar form from his near-miss at Splendido Taal in July, carding a sensational seven-under-par 64 to wrest a slim one-shot lead over a surging Enrico Gallardo in the rain-hit ICTSI Forest Hills Classic at the Nicklaus course here Wednesday.
Jahns navigated the challenging conditions with ease, firing eight birdies against a lone bogey to secure the top spot after the opening round of the P2-million championship.
An hour-long rain delay did little to slow Jahns' momentum. After a fiery start through the first 12 holes, he birdied the par-5 16th and finished his round with six straight pars, delivering a championship-caliber 30-34 round.
“I managed the course very well,” Jahns said, attributing his success to his steady driving and sharp iron play. His long-range putting, which saw him sink birdies from 15, 20, and 25 feet, was a particular highlight.
"The greens were a bit softer, so the balls were stopping faster, but I made a lot of long putts, and that really highlighted my round," he added.
However, Jahns knows that a hot start alone won’t secure his first Philippine Golf Tour title. Two months ago at Splendido, he closed with a bogey-free 67 but fell just short, losing by one stroke to veteran Tony Lascuña in the ICTSI Splendido Championship. That near-miss has only sharpened his determination, as he came out firing in this P2-million event, the seventh leg of the PGT circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.
Equally impressive was Gallardo, who came out swinging with a 65, lighting up the course with four consecutive birdies starting at No. 8. Despite a bogey on No. 14, he bounced back with three birdies over the final four holes, posting his best opening round since turning professional in 2017.
"Yeah, this is my strongest start, and hopefully, I can maintain it for the rest of the week," said Gallardo, who has had a couple of Top 7 finishes at Caliraya Springs and Lakewood earlier this year.
Gallardo, like many players, had to deal with the rain delay but stayed focused throughout. "I didn’t let the stoppage affect me. I just did some stretching and focused on taking it one shot at a time," he said.
Meanwhile, club pro Rolando Garalde made his presence felt with a 67, placing him solo third. His familiarity with the tight, hilly layout of Forest Hills proved vital as he birdied five of the first 11 holes, spurred on by the enthusiastic support of the caddies holding placards in his honor.
Despite bogeying Nos. 12 and 13 after the rain delay, Garalde bounced back with a birdie on the par-5 16th, finishing his round with a 32-35.
"I do have a home course edge, but the cheering crowd also adds pressure," said Garalde, thanking the caddies and Forest Hills general manager Raymond Bunquin for their support.
On his bogeys, he said, "It got a bit cooler after the delay, which threw me off on Nos. 12 and 13, but I bounced back with a birdie on No. 16."
Aidric Chan, continuing his solid form from a recent runner-up finish at the recent BRG Open of the Asian Development Tour in Vietnam, carded a 68, highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 sixth, placing him solo fourth.
Apo leg champion Jhonnel Ababa and Lakewood Championship winner Sean Ramos both turned in 69s, sharing fifth with amateur Carl Corpus in a tightly packed leaderboard as the 72-hole championship progresses, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.
Veteran Tony Lascuña, fresh off a win in challenging conditions at Splendido, shot a 70, marred by a double bogey on No. 12 and a dropped shot on the 17th. He settled for a share of eighth place alongside Toru Nakajima, Philippine Masters champion Angelo Que, Rupert Zaragosa, and John Michael Uy.
Mars Pucay, Hyun Ho Rho, and Lanz Uy all finished with even-par 71s for a share of 13th in the tournament sponsored by ICTSI and backed by PGTI official apparel Kampfortis Golf.
Among the favorites, Clyde Mondilla, who set a course record with a 60 in last year’s opening round en route to a five-shot victory, had a disappointing start. His round of 72, which included four birdies but was derailed by three bogeys and a double bogey on the ninth following an out-of-bounds drive, dropped him into a tie for 16th alongside Ira Alido, Jerson Balasabas, Ozeki Kakeru, Guido van der Valk, Albin Engino and Dino Villanueva.