DAVAO CITY -- A pair of Philippine Golf Tour Q-School graduates put up stellar performances in tough, humid conditions, matching par-72s to grab a one-stroke lead in the first round of the ICTSI Apo Classic at the Apo Golf and Country Club here Tuesday.
Japanese Ozeki Kakeru, coming off an impressive fourth-place finish in last week’s Q-School at the nearby South Pacific, birdied three of his last four holes that tied him with Edmar Salvador Jr as the duo outshone the veterans in the event signaling the start of the Philippine Golf Tour.
Expressing satisfaction with his late birdies, Kakeru said he had to overcome the stifling heat to put up a strong round.
“Very hot but made birdies late,” said Kakeru. “Same thing tomorrow (Wednesday), go for par and try to make birdies. I’ll do my best.”
Salvador, on the other hand, emphasized his strategy of targeting fairways and greens while aiming for efficient putting.
“Maganda ang palo, target ko lang fairways at greens at maka-two putts,” said the nephew of former PGT Order of Merit winner Elmer Salvador.
The two were one up on reigning OOM winner Jhonnel Ababa, Zanieboy Gialon and Korean Gwon Minwook, another recent Q-School graduate.
Homegrown talents Elmer Salvador and Jay Bayron posted identical 74s for joint sixth with Russell Bautista and Nilo Salahog after 18 holes of the tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and supported by PGTI official apparel Kampfortis Golf.
Despite a challenging start, Tony Lascuna, who dominated here in 2019, rallied in the latter part of the round, gaining two strokes in the last five holes to rescue a 75 and land in a tie for 10th spot with Ira Alido, Keanu Jahns, Mars Pucay, Japanese Kei Matsuoka, Dutchman Guido van der Valk, Rupert Zaragosa, Korean Min Hyeok Yu and last year’s Q-School topnotcher Hyun Ho Rho, also from Korea.
Ababa fumbled in the early going on a course he’s so familiar with. He double bogeyed the par-3 No. 4 and conceded another stroke on the sixth to fall off the leaderboard.
But the winner of the Villamor Philippine Masters and the Mimosa Plus leg last year, found his touch and rhythm at the back with birdies on Nos. 11, 13 and 15 to draw level par. He, however, missed forcing a three-way tie with a bogey on the 16th.
Several big hitters, including Clyde Mondilla and Marvin Dumandan and last week’s Q-School No. 1 Aidric Chan, faced difficulties on the tight course. Mondilla shot a 77, Dumandan a 78, while Chan never recovered from a triple-bogey on the first hole of his first pro event, making six bogeys against two birdies for a 79.
Last year’s Valley leg runaway winner Reymon Jaraula stumbled with an 80 to tumble to joint 47th and in danger of missing the Top 40 and ties cut.
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