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    Damien Jordan sets pace with eagle-aided 64 in Aboitiz Invitational at Orchard

    damien jordan aboitiz invitational orchard angelo que ira alido
    Sep 5, 2018
    PHOTO: Philippine Golf Tour

    AUSTRALIA’s Damien Jordan drained an eagle in a bogey-free eight-under 64 to take the lead in the first round of the Aboitiz Invitational on Wednesday at Orchard’s Palmer course in Cavite.

    The power-hitting Jordan made the most of the preferred lies rule at the rain-softened course, producing six birdies and hitting an eagle on the par-5 No. 6.

    “I’ve never had an opening round like this, so, it feels fantastic,” said Jordan, who hit a solid 7-iron second shot from 169 yards to 15 feet for eagle on the sixth.

    “The greens are soft but are rolling faster, which I think suits my game,” added the Australian golfer, who settled for third in last week’s rain-shortened Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational won by Jhonnel Ababa.

    Angelo Que, Ira Alido and Zanieboy Gialon stood one stroke off in the $100,000 championship serving as the fifth leg of the second season of the PGT Asia.

    “I played well, I guess. I’m glad to have this kind of a round. It has been a while since I had this splendid start though I could’ve been at nine-under had I holed in an eagle from 15 feet on the sixth,” said Que, who also went bogey-free with nines of 32-33.

    Robert Pactolerin and Thailand’s Wisut Artjanawat and Namchok Tantipokhakul were within striking distance at 67s.

    Jobim Carlos and Tony Lascuña led a big group at 68.

    Que, who last saw action at PGTA Southwoods where he tied for 10th in June before resuming his campaign in the lucrative Japan PGA Tour, marked his comeback in style, stringing seven birdies while flashing an impeccable touch around the greens that saw him rescue pars in the four times he didn’t make it in regulation.

    Alido, who missed the cut in the Negros and Iloilo legs of the PGT last month and hobbled to joint 33rd in last week’s PGT Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational, hit two birdies more than Que but dropped two strokes on the par-4 No. 3 on an errant drive and a three-putt bogey.

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    “My game was on. My shots in the last two days in Cebu were pretty solid and those showed again today (yesterday). I kind of settled down and was able to hit more solid shots,” said Alido, who also matched Que’s four scrambling pars as the duo led the attack on the par-72 layout, which lay defenseless in the absence of the wind.

    Gialon also sizzled at the back with a solid 30 spiked by three straight birdies from No. 10 but the Davaoeño shotmaker, who last won at PGT Calatagan last year, had fumbled with a double-bogey on the first hole before recovering with a birdie on the next before matching Jordan’s eagle on the sixth to join Que and Alido at second in the event backed by ICTSI, Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc.

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    PHOTO: Philippine Golf Tour
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