Bayron catches Rai with second 69

MANILA, Philippines - Jay Bayron stepped up his chase for a dream Asian Tour diadem with a second straight three-under 69 in scorching heat, so did India’s Himmat Rai, who fired a 70, as they forged a lead midway through the $300,000 ICTSI-Philippine Open that had seen the exits of a number of early Open favorites.

Bayron nearly holed out with an eagle on No. 15 but failed to rescue a par from 10 feet on the closing No. 18, the lone black mark in a card that featured three other birdies inside six feet that gave him a 36-hole aggregate of 138 and sent him closer to a breakthrough victory.

“Winning on the Asian Tour is my dream,” said Bayron, actually on a rare stint on the Asian Tour after opting instead to campaign on the ASEAN Tour where he scored three runner-up finishes last year. He won twice on the ICTSI-PGT Tour en route to winning the local circuit’s Order of Merit title.

But with the Open making a comeback to the Asian circuit after a two-year hiatus, Bayron said he’s happy to be among those chasing the prestigious title, adding: “Hopefully, I can win and put my name on the trophy.”

“I am happy with what I did today because the course is very difficult,” said Bayron, who also expressed surprised to be pacing a star-studded field that included no fewer that 25 winners on the Asian Tour.

Rai, however, will try to frustrate him as the 24-year-old Indian likewise lined himself up for an Asian Tour breakthrough with a 70, actually dropping to a share of the lead with Bayron after yielding a shot on the par-3 16th.

“I’m extremely happy with what I shot (today). It was hot out there and the wind picked up a bit in the afternoon,” said Rai, who also shared the lead with Thai Thanyakon Khrongpha with 68 in an eventful first round Thursday suspended due to darkness.

The duo took a one-shot lead over Australian Berry Henson, Jbe Kruger of South Africa and Japanese Daisuke Kataoka, who had 70, 68 and 69, respectively, for 139s while Panuphol Pittayarat stood at 140 after a 69 and former champion Wang Ter-chang hung on with a 72 for a 141, ensuring a shootout in the last 36 holes of the event serving as the seventh leg of the Asian Tour.

Tony Lascuña matched par 72 and safely made it through with a 144 while Marvin Dumandan stumbled with a 75 after a 69 for a 145, the same output put in by Rufino Bayron, who rallied with a 69 and Gene Bondoc, who had a 74.

Angelo Que struggled off the tee and carded a second straight 73 for a 146 in a tie with Ferdie Aunzo and Michael Bibat, who bounced back with identical 70s, while Elmer Salvador, winner of the other all-peso Phl Open title in 2009 at Malarayat, had a 74 for a 147.

While the other fancied local bets wavered in another challenging day and headed for an early exit, Juvic Pagunsan rebounded from a so-so 73 with a 69, wheeling back into the fight for the top $47,500 purse in the four-day championship featuring no fewer the 25 winners on the region’s lucrative circuit.

Pagunsan actually blew a running four-under card with a bogey on No. 16 but the smooth-swinging Filipino shotmaker, the Asian Tour top rookie in 2007, stood well within striking distance at 142, jumping from a share of 47th to joint ninth.

“I just played it steady today but I could’ve scored better,” said Pagunsan, referring to at least four birdie putts that lipped out.

Other two-under par scorers were Lucas Lee of Brazil, who fired an eagle-aided 70, Baek Seuk-hyun of Korea (69), Peter Karmis of South Africa (73), Mars Pucay (73), Digvijay Singh of India (72) and Thai Prom Meesawat (72), who is coming off a victory in last week’s Asean Tour in Malaysia.

Five former Open champions, including last year’s winner at Valley, Artemio Murakami, missed the cut pegged at 148, four-over, with two time-winner Frankie Miñoza and Antonio Asistio II barely making it with a pair of even par 72s after identical 76s.

Murakami, who had said earlier that Wack Wack is tougher, ran out of holes and came in with a 74, finishing with a 150 to join the likes of Gerald Rosales, winner in 2000, who had a 77-149, 1990 champion Robert Pactolerin, who had an 82-155 and Cassius Casas, who won in 2001, also made an 82 for a 163.

Miguel Tabuena, the celebrated 16-year-old find who showed a lot of promise in finishing fourth last year at Valley and turning in a top 25 finish in the Asian Tour Qualifying School, found the challenge too tough and fell short with a 74 and a 152.