Ababa holds off charging Casas, leads by 2

CALATAGAN, Batangas, Philippines  – Jhonnel Ababa slowed down with a 69 but moved farther ahead by two, this time against title-hungry Cassius Casas, who pressed his bid with a 67 in the second round of the ICTSI Calatagan Challenge at the Calatagan Golf and Country Club yesterday.

Ababa, who fired a near-flawless 66 in seizing the early lead in windy Wednesday, bogeyed the par-3 No. 8 on his homeward trip for the second straight day and missed posting a more comfortable lead heading to the final round of the P1 million, 54-hole tournament.

But with a nine-under 135 aggregate, Ababa is well on target for a third leg victory on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour although a slew of talented players, led by Casas and Marvin Dumandan, are out to foil his bid in this 14th leg of the 16-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

“I have to shoot a 66 or a 67 to get a crack at the crown. It’s tough since we are chasing a local boy,” said Casas, referring to Ababa, who, along with Mhark Fernando and a couple of others, have made the layout their base during their amateur days.

Casas leaned on a three-birdie string from No. 3 to fire the day’s best 67 and take the challenger’s role from joint seventh as he pooled a 137 to fan his hopes for a first tour win since snatching the ICTSI Del Monte crown last year.

“I need some luck to pull it off. There are just too many good players behind,” said Ababa, seeking a follow-up to his playoff victory over Jay Bayron at ICTSI Iloilo and a dominating win at Riviera.

He actually had a good start at the back, hitting birdies on Nos. 12 and 13 but held back by a bogey on the 17th. He resumed his charge at the front with three birdies on Nos. 3, 6 and 7 but dropped another stroke on the eighth when he missed the 203-yard green with a 5-wood for the second straight time.

Dumandan, another player hungry for a victory, birdied three of the first four holes at the front and momentarily wrested the lead from Ababa. But he wavered midway through with missed green bogeys and needed to knock down birdies on Nos. 14 and 15 to save a 71 and a 138.

“I had a couple of errant shots and missed par-putts inside six feet,” rued Dumandan in Filipino. “But I hope to settle down with my game tomorrow (today) and get that elusive win.”

Jun Bernis, tied with Dumandan just one shot off Ababa at the start of the round, recovered from a woeful 39 at the front with three straight birdies from No. 13 for a 72 although he tumbled down to joint fourth with Joenard Rates at 139.

Rates shot the day’s lone bogey-free round of 70.

After an opening 70, Fernando threatened to dominate with a fiery 32 at the front but the former national champion and winner of the ICTSI Del Monte stop this year, fumbled with a double-bogey on No. 12 and dropped another stroke on the par-5 13th for a 39 and a 71. He had a 141.

Also at three-under total were Tony Lascuna and Ferdie Aunzo with the former failing to sustain a solid start of 34 with a closing 37 for a 71 and the latter fighting back from a 72 with a 69.

Bayron, the reigning Order of Merit champion, bounced back with a 71 after 77 to make the 40-player cut but stood too far behind at 148 to contend in the tournament sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Zanie Boy Gialon primed up for another win after topping the Samsung Amateur Open last week as he shot a 70 for a 145 to lead ICTSI-The Country Club teammate Alex Nallos, who had a 72-146, in the battle for low amateur honors.

The event is backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.