Dulay pulls away with 67, nears title

MANILA, Philippines - Chepe Dulay shot a tournament-best three-under-par 67 to post a whopping 11-stroke lead over Paul Vesinica in the third round of the National Golf Association of the Philippines’ Visayas Regional Amateur golf championship at the Marapara layout in Bacolod Thursday.

Dulay, who played in a couple of junior Philippine Putra Cup teams, now has a 54-hole aggregate of 209 that included rounds of 68 and 74, moving 18 holes away from completing a wire-to-wire victory.

Vesinica, playing out of the Bacolod Golf and Country Club in Binitin in nearby Murcia town, shot a 69 but stood too far behind at 220. He is one of 16 caddies entered in the 72-hole event presented by Pancake House, SOC Land and backed by Great Depot, Callaway and Odyssey golf and Marapara.

JR Tanpinco carded a 73 for a 223 while Paul Echavez, just three behind Dulay in the first two rounds, skied to a 79 and tumbled with a 224.

Justin Limjap had a 76 for 226 to remain in the hunt for one of three all-expense-paid trips to Manila to play in the 2011 Philippine Amateurs at Riviera in Silang, Cavite next month.

With Dulay a cinch for the crown, Vesinica, Tanpinco, Limjap and Korean Bacolod Golf and Country Club member Min Jin-kim are separated by no more than six strokes in disputing the two other spots.

Art Arbole won the Mindanao Regional at Del Monte, beating Banny Abano by seven strokes with Dulay poised to post a more lopsided result.