4 share Aboitiz golf lead

CEBU, Philippines - With the winds blowing away the game of some of the stars, the Aboitiz Invitational 2012 saw a crowded leaderboard after yesterday’s first round at the shortened par-71 Cebu Country Club.

Four players, including Tony Lascuña, who leads the order of merit of the Philippine Golf Tour, carded two-under-par 69 to share the lead.

Other leaders are Filipino Elmer Salvador, who is second in the OOM of the PGT, and Australians Scott Barr and Unho Park.

Only eight players broke par yesterday as four are one stroke back including 24-year-old Cebuano Charles ‘Chuckie’ Hong. Hong honed his skills in this course where he once was both the junior and club champion on the same year.

Tied with Hong are Bukidnon’s Clyde Mondilla, veteran Richard Sinfuego and Japan’s Masaru Takahashi.

Frankie Miñoza, one of the top pros of the country, told The Freeman that the wind spoiled the game of many players.

This sentiment was shared by amateur Jose Angelo ‘Gio’ Gandionco.

The course normally plays as a par-72, but hole number 7 has been made to a par-4 for this tournament.

Two strokes behind the leaders are defending back-to-back champion Jay Bayron of Davao City along with Ebarra Quiachon and Australian Michael Moore.

Bayron, winner of the first two editions of this tournament, is gunning for a third, which will boost his ranking in the order of merit in the Asian Development Tour (ADT).

The Aboitiz Invitational is one of two ADT events in this year’s schedule that would be played in the Philippines.

Australian Ryan Bulloch, who leads the OOM of the ADT, is one stroke further back with one-over-par 72. He is tied with Koreans Kim Gi-hwan and Park Il-hwan and Filipino Joenard Rates.

The top three in the ADT for this year would earn cards for the Asian Tour.

Mars Pucay, a recent winner in the Philippine Tour, is tied with eight others shooting rounds of 73 strokes.

Eric Deen, the reigning champion of Cebu Country Club, was the best placed amateur shooting three-over-par 74 and is tied for the 25th position with ten others.

Miñoza finished with four-over-par 75 along with Artemio Murakami as is tied for the 36 position.

Lloyd Jefferson Go and Gandionco, two junior golf standouts, both shot six-over-par 77 yesterday and share the 55th position with several others.

Gen Nagai, the fourth amateur to get an invitation to join the event, shot 79 strokes yesterday and is tied with 17-year-old pro Miguel Tabuena.

Other notables, who struggled with their game yesterday, were three-time Asian Tour winner Angelo Que, who shot 78 strokes, and Cassius Casas with 79.

This 54-hole tournament backed by Aboitiz Equity Ventures offers a total pot of $65,000. (FREEMAN)