Bayron finishes strong, leads Sherwood Classic

TRECE MARTIREZ, Cavite, Philippines  â€“ Jay Bayron bucked a poor start with a fiery windup, finishing with a scorching 31 for a 68 and a two-stroke lead over Ferdie Aunzo, Christopher delos Santos and Charles Hong at the start of the P2.5 million ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic here yesterday.

While the rest of the early contenders faltered at the tough backside of the wind-raked par-72 layout, Bayron made it look easy with five birdies, turning what had appeared to be a faulty start – two bogeys on first three holes – into a sizzling round in sweltering heat.

Bayron, who lost in a three-man playoff at The Country Club Invitational won by Frankie Miñoza last month, actually launched his fightback with a birdie on the par-5 No. 8 then birdied the first two holes at the back to spark his backside binge.

“I just got lucky,” said Bayron as he downplayed his fiery windup that included birdies on Nos. 13, 15 and 17.

Hong, who scored a breakthrough win at Pueblo de Oro last year, stayed abreast with Bayron at three-under with a birdie on No. 15 but fumbled with a bogey on the 17th to fall into a tie with Aunzo and De los Santos at 70s.

Marvin Dumandan struggled with his putting stroke on his way home and blew a three-under card after No. 15 with bogeys in two of the last three holes for a 71 in a tie with Orlan Sumcad and Miguel Tabuena, a two-leg winner in last year’s staging of the annual tour organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and sponsored by ICTSI.

Artemio Murakami, a former leg winner who had to go through the Q-School to regain his card, matched par 72 for joint eighth with former Philippine Open champion Gerald Rosales while Asian Tour campaigner Mars Pucay stood in a big group of 73 scorers who included Elmer Saban. Ruben Sasutil, Danny Zarate, Japanese qualifier Tomokazu Yoshinaga and Rufino Bayron, who finished second to Miñoza at the TCC invitational.

Sumcad had a couple of errant drives coming home and like Dumandan, squandered a three-under card after 15 holes after bogeying Nos. 16 and 18.

“I missed short par putts,” said Dumandan, a Davao native who lives in nearby Silang, Cavite and trains at Sherwood regularly, in Filipino.

“My driving went awry at the back that slowed me down,” said the 39-year-old Sumcad, still in search of the big one, in Filipino.

The other backers of the event are Nike Golf, Mizuno, Srixon, Callaway, Custom Clubmakers, Sharp Cleveland Golf, Pacsports, Foot Joy, Titleist and Empire Golf and Sports Shop with Balls TV, Studio 23, Pinoygolfer.com and Inquirer Golf as media partners.