Bayron, Korean amateur share lead with 67s

CALATAGAN, Batangas, Philippines – Rufino Bayron outgunned fancied Juvic Pagunsan in a frontside duel and shot a five-under 67 but found a charging Korean amateur Hwang Kang Yul as co-leader at the start of the P1 million ICTSI Calatagan Challenge here yesterday.

Bayron, seeking his first pro win after humbling the pros as an amateur at Valley Golf four years ago, held his ground against the returning Pagunsan at the back then hit three birdies against a bogey to complete a 34-33 card in the morning session.

But Hwang, playing out of Riviera, charged home in one of the last afternoon flights with a bogey-free 67, capped by a birdie on the 18th to force a tie with Bayron, two strokes ahead of Joenard Rates, who pressed his bid with three birdies in a six-hole stretch linking both nines for a 69.

Pagunsan, making his first appearance on the local tour since joining the Japan PGA Tour last April, tried to impose his will with an eagle-spiked 34 stint at the back. But the reigning Asian Tour and the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour No. 1 wavered at the front, bogeying the last two holes for a 72.

He slipped five shots off the pace in joint ninth although Pagunsan is expected to bounce back today and put himself in contention for the top P200,000 purse in this 13th leg of the 15-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Like Pagunsan, who finished second in the Japan Open two weeks ago, Bayron also had a shaky finish, bogeying the tough par-3 No. 8 although the former amateur hotshot had built enough cushion with birdies on Nos. 2, 3 and 7.

The 19-year-old Hwang made quite an impression by birdying two of his four holes then birdied the difficult par-3 eighth to go three-under at the turn. He played pressure free throughout the day, hitting another birdie on No. 14 before closing out with his fifth to share the day’s scoring honors.

The unfancied Rates bucked a bogey on No. 12 with four birdies, including back-to-back from No. 17 then rammed in another on the par-5 No. 4 to string nines of 35-34.

Jhonnel Ababa, who routed the field by six here to cap a three-leg victory last season, stayed well within striking distance with a two-under 70 in a tie with Arnold Villacencio and Marvin Dumandan at fourth in the 54-hole tournament sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Charles Hong, winner of the Pueblo de Oro crown last month, birdied No. 3 then recovered from a three-straight bogey mishap from No. 7 with a three-birdie binge from No. 12 to salvage a 71 for joint fifth with the power-hitting Orlan Sumcad, who missed closing in on Bayron with two bogeys on the last two holes at the back.