ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic: Zaragosa surges to lead as brutal weather halts play

BACOLOD CITY – Torrential rain and unrelenting winds turned the second round of the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic into a battle of endurance and mental toughness here on Wednesday.

Play was suspended after a one-and-a-half-hour downpour submerged fairways and flooded bunkers of the Negros Occidental Golf and Country course, forcing the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. to suspend the P2.5-million championship.

Rupert Zaragosa emerged as the standout performer in brutal conditions, firing a three-under card through 12 holes to seize the clubhouse lead at five-under. Starting from No. 10, he braved swirling winds in the morning and a heavy downpour midway through his round, exhibiting mastery over the conditions by hitting birdies on Nos. 10, 14 and 17, and coming through with a brilliant par-save on the long par-5 18th.

Despite dropping two strokes on the par-3 13th due to a misjudged gust, Zaragosa swiftly recovered with back-to-back birdies from No. 2 before play was halted. His near-flawless performance left him with a four-stroke clubhouse lead over a quartet of pursuers, including Tony Lascuña, Russell Bautista, Francis Morilla and first-round leader Michael Bibat, who all posted one-under aggregate scores.

“It was tough, but my game was fairly solid,” said Zaragosa in Filipino, who had to withdraw from the final round of last week’s event in Binitin due to a persistent stiff neck. However, he bounced back swiftly, showcasing strong play in challenging conditions over the first two rounds with hopes of maintaining his confidence and momentum as he chases his second career victory following his dominant win in Iloilo last year.

"I'll stick to my game plan tomorrow and play smart," said Zaragosa, stressing the importance of minimizing mistakes. "I’m also hoping my putting comes through, and I can keep that momentum going until the final day."

Tournament officials decided to resume the round early Thursday, with Zaragosa holding a commanding advantage over his rivals. Due to the weather disruptions, the men's competition has been reduced to 54 holes and the women's to 36.

Bibat, who led with an opening-round 66, struggled to find rhythm in the gusty morning conditions, dropping strokes early before rebounding with a birdie on No. 2. He now shares second place at one-under, alongside Lascuña, Bautista and Morilla, all fighting to stay within striking distance of Zaragosa.

Surprisingly, lesser-known names like Bautista and Morilla thrived in the turbulent weather. Bautista posted a steady round with a birdie and a bogey through 15 holes, while Morilla made the most of the shifting conditions, carding a series of birdies to challenge the more seasoned competitors.

Meanwhile, unheralded Francis Mendez showed impressive form, riding a hot streak of three birdies over four holes after a bogey on the first hole. He also slipped with a miscue on No. 12 to drop to joint sixth with last week’s Binitin leg winner Reymon Jaraula, who struggled with a three-bogey, one-birdie card.

Nilo Salahog turned in a one-under card with three holes remaining at the front nine, giving him a provisional one-over total for a share of eighth place with Collin Wheeler, who played steady golf with an even-par card after six holes on the back nine, and Lakewood leg champion Sean Ramos, who faced difficulties with a two-over card after nine holes.

As the tournament resumes, the field will face even greater challenges, with unpredictable weather continuing to wreak havoc on the already tough course.

With the shortened tournament, the contenders will need to stay sharp as they vie for a spot in the Top 40 and ties cut and for a chance to gain a crack at the title in the season-ending tournament presented by Negros Electric and Power Corp.