Late eagle nets Jaraula a 65, lead share

MURCIA, Negros Occidental, Philippines — With two of Del Monte’s revered names in the fold, Reymon Jaraula thought of putting up a solid effort that would merit at least a second look from legend Frankie Miñoza and reigning Philippine Open champ Clyde Mondilla.

The rising star from Bukidnon didn’t only make quite an impression but stood out from a star-studded group that teed off late, spiking his lead-sharing five-under 65 with an eagle as he joined Michael Bibat, Rufino Bayron and Spain’s Marcos Pastor at the helm at the start of the ICTSI Bacolod Golf Challenge here yesterday.

Jaraula mastered the Bacolod Golf Club’s backside with four straight birdies from No. 12 then fought back from a bogey on No. 17 with an eagle on the par-5 No. 5 as he strung up a 33-32 card to find himself a bewildered co-leader for only the second time in a young career, one ahead of another unfancied bet in Richard Sinfuego.

But the lean but mean shotmaker, who tied for 18th in last week’s Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational won by Dutch Guido Van der Valk in wire-to-wire fashion, will need three more solid rounds to realize a dream finish with a mix of talents likewise launching their respective title drives at the par-70 layout in impressive fashions.

“My driving was quite okay but I struggled a bit with my putting,” said the soft-spoken Jaraula, who, however, missed the fairway on No. 17 and muffed a couple of birdie putts at the front.

Bibat, seeking to end a long title spell, scorched the frontside with five straight birdies and bucked a two-birdie, two-bogey game at the back to put himself in contention after finishing joint second at CFdC in Danao City.

In contrast, Bayron leaned on a fiery backside of five birdies in the last eight holes to card a 35-30 in a big rebound to a floundering finish of 76 that dropped him to joint 16th in Cebu last week.

Pastor launched his bid at the back and eagled the par-5 15th then birdied Nos. 18, 1 and 7 to turn in a bogey-free 33-32 round on a day where the lesser lights upstaged the fancied rivals in the P2.5 million championship put up by ICTSI.