Rates hangs on to one-shot lead

MANILA, Philippines — Joenard Rates kept his cool in hot, humid conditions and birdied the last two holes for a 71 and a precarious one-stroke lead over a fast-charging Guido Van der Valk halfway through the ICTSI Villamor Philippine Masters at the Villamor Golf Club yesterday.

Rates, who tamed the tricky layout with a 65 last Wednesday, did it in the face of the strong challenge from Van der Valk and Keanu Jahns from separate flights and despite three bogeys in the first five holes at the front after a backside 34 start.

The 5-foot-3 Rates never ran out of brilliance and fighting spirit, coming through with a couple of clutch shots that set up birdie putts on Nos. 8 and 9 as he salvaged a one-under card for a 36-hole aggregate of eight-under 136.

“I hit errant drives and had a couple of mishits at the front,” said Rates, who went nine-under overall with birdies on Nos. 14 and 17 but yielded strokes on Nos. 2, 3 and 5 to enable Van der Valk and Jahns to close in with their respective low rounds.

Van der Valk put himself back in title contention after missing the cut at Luisita with a 137, matching Rates’ closing birdies at the front for a 67 after a 70 while Jahns, seeking to complete unfinished business on this military layout, mounted his own charge with a solid five-under card after a 71 for third at 138.

The troika set up a shootout in moving day with Rates vowing to stay cool and relaxed, Jahns sticking to his game plan and routine and Van der Valk tipped to rely on his accuracy and consistency.

“I played relaxed and made the most of my (birdie) chances. But there are still two days left, so the plan is to hit the fairways and greens and make the putts,” said Rates, seeking to end a five-year title spell in the circuit put up by ICTSI.

While a host of others remained four strokes behind or farther back the two-day leader, a spirited third-round chase looms with Jhonnel Ababa pooling a 140 for fourth after a 71, Marvin Dumandan and Rolando Marabe Jr. matching outputs for the second straight day (70) for 141s, and amateur Gary Sales bouncing back with a 70 for a 142.