Sasutil unlikely leader

SILANG, Cavite – For all the troubles in organizing the 85th Philippine Open, the country’s premier golf championships got underway yesterday without a hitch, although it produced one of the highest first round scorings in its storied event.

No thanks to a course that has all the trappings of a truly championship layout and a sleek putting surface that seemed to be unconquerable – even by the steadiest players in the fold.

Hacked by vandals three nights ago, the greens of Riviera’s Langer layout proved to be too puzzling a puzzle for the competing field with Ruben Sasutil emerging as the unlikely leader in a day when the fight for the lead looked like a battle for survival.

Sasutil’s even-par 71 best typified the struggle made by the pros over a challenging course made more daunting by its glass-top putting surface, barely turning in what could have been the day’s lone under-par card until he stumbled with a three-putt bogey on the final hole.

"Ako ba ang leader?" asked Sasutil, his wide-open eyes typified his bewilderment in a day when scores soared with the gusty winds.

Three birdies in the last nine holes, including that back-to-back feat from No. 16, capped a solid 34 that put the 35-year-old Sasutil into the lead, moving past the tandem of veteran Eddie Bagtas and youthful Gerald Rosales, whose identical one-over 72s stood as the day’s best for a while.

"Play short-play short lang ako dahil mahirap nga ang course lalo na yung greens, pero nung gumanda ang putting ko, inatake ko na. Sana tuloy-tuloy na ito," said Sasutil, a five-year pro whose last victory was in the 1997 Ericsson Tour at Eastridge.

After a missed-green bogey on No. 1, Sasutil rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt on the next, knocked in a couple of five-footers on Nos. 10 and 16 before sinking a spectacular 15-foot double-break putt on the scenic 17th, a testy par-3 hanging on a cliff. He also had four bogeys.

But while Sasutil took a bold approach to match par and seize the lead, Bagtas opted for a more conservative one and got what he wanted – an unlikely spot at the top.

"Pang-matanda ang course na ito," said Bagtas, stressing that those with experience like him have an advantage over this layout.

Rosales, the 24-year reed-thin former amateur champion who has been trying to hone his talent and skill by joining the top Asian PGA Tour, also surprised the field, including himself, by turning in 35-37 then said later an even-par total would win the championship in this P2 million event worth P400,000.

"To score as low as I did despite my unfamiliarity with the course is something. I was easily expecting an 80 here," said Rosales. "With the condition, I think an even par would win it."

But John Blanch, the club’s general manager who also took part and carded an 82, maintained that it would take a player a four-to-eight-over total to win the championship.

"I expect this kind of scoring and this is so even when the pin placements are not yet all strategically placed," said Blanch

Mars Pucay blew an even par round in the first nine holes a he dropped three strokes in the first four holes at the back and settled for a 73 in a tie with Canadian Rick Gibson and Tony Lascuna, while club pro Danny Zarate struggled with a 74, the same output put in by fancied Robert Pactolerin.

Cassius Casas, still favoring a heavily-bandaged right wrist which he injured last week, carded a 75, his 36-39 ruined by a triple-bogey on the par-4 No. 11 where he overshot the green, chipped short, then watched his second chip shot roll past the pin and into the pond.