MANILA, Philippines - Vicente Romano III and Luigi Tabuena combined for an aggregate score of net 12-under-par 84 to show the way for a packed 400-team field after the first two days of play in the 13th Founders Cup tournament of the Orchard Golf and Country Club in Dasmariñas, Cavite.
Playing the well-manicured Palmer course, Romano and Tabuena beat their handicaps with net scores of 41 and 43, respectively, and took the top spot in a crowded leaderboard going into the weekend rounds of the member-guest tourney presented by Coca-Cola.
The Romano-Tabuena pair led Gerard Villacarlos-Jimmy Boado by two with Julio Javier II-Charles Cebedo, Rodrigo Segura-Claudette Santiago and Marlon Villanueva-Rex Armada sharing third place six points behind.
Jenz Tecson and Marty Ilagan were comfortably ahead by five over the defending champion pair of King Stehmeier-John Papa in the low gross race after scoring a four-over 68.
Major sponsors of the Founders Cup are Honda Cars Cavite, Mizuno, Philippine Airlines and Sta. Lucia Realty & Development Corp while Banco De Oro, Orchard Properties, Phil Ports Authority, Security Bank Corp., The Turf Company and Trends & Technologies, Inc. are premium hole sponsors.
Hole sponsors are Arch. Nelson Montealegre & Associates, Asian Turfgrass Center and Bernhard & Co., Avida Sales Corp., Beneficial-PNB Life, Emeritus Security & Maintenance System, EZ-GO, F.D. Nolasco, Flownet Irrigation, GG & A, Harbor Star Shipping Services, Inc., Information Professionals, Inc., International Heavy Equipment Corporation, John Gil Catering Joseph Server & Associates, National Book Store, Nishino Leather Industry Inc., Osim Phils., Inc., Pacsports Phils., Inc., Pagcor, Perry’s Group, Phil. Charter Insurance, PING Golf, PPI Prime Ventures, Promise Land Trading, Sap Build Enterprise, SLB Trading & Pump Specialist, Srixon, Titleist Services Inc., Tuan Nguyen and Inquirer Golf.