Gialon takes charge; Pauline forces tie

MANILA, Philippines — Zanieboy Gialon quickly adjusted to the demands of the Langer layout and produced a startling round of six-under 65 that shoved him past a slew of top guns and lesser lights while sparking hopes for a return to the podium of one of the Tour’s steadiest shotmakers.

But 36 holes do not make a champion player – and with a host of others lurking just a stroke, two or three behind, Gialon would be needing more than fine-tuning, guts and luck to snap a three-year title drought.

“I played good, hit almost all fairways and made a lot of putts,” said the 31-year-old Gialon, who beat Jhonnel Ababa by six in the ICTSI Calatagan Golf Challenge in 2017 to annex his fourth career victory.

But he went into a slump from there although he had some title cracks but almost always yielded in the end. He tied for 16th in the ICTSI Riviera Invitational Challenge at Couples three weeks ago but hardly made an impact with an opening 74 for joint 18th here Tuesday.

“But I was able to make the necessary adjustments – balance and shotmaking,” said Gialon, who preserved his day-long brilliance by coming up with 25 putts.

Over in the LPGT side, Pauline del Rosario pounced on Princess Superal’s last hole bogey on the ninth as she forced a tie after 36 with a 73, sealing a shootout for two of the circuit’s leading players.

Superal, who wrested a one-stroke lead over Del Rosario with a 69 after 18 holes Tuesday, held sway as she matched Del Rosario’s birdie on No. 10 and bogey on the 14th. But the ICTSI Riviera Invitational Challenge runaway winner at Couples wavered with bogeys on Nos. 3, 6 and 9 for a 74, enabling the 2017 LPGT Order of Merit winner, who bogeyed Nos. 1 and 8, to join her at 143.