JOENARD Rates produced a rare two-eagle feat to score a seven-under 65 and open a four-stroke lead over Jhonnel Ababa and young Korean Rho Hyun Ho at the start of the ICTSI Villamor Philippine Masters at the Villamor Golf Club on Wednesday.
The son of former touring pro Jose Rates eagled the par-5 No. 8 and the par-4 15th then strung up three birdies from the 12th, barely missing out on tying the course record set by Vic Santia in the late 1990s with a flubbed 12-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th.
But his brilliant 34-31 in sweltering heat proved enough to net him a big cushion in pursuit of a first Philippine Golf Tour crown since 2018.
Ababa also shot an eagle on the par-5 No. 2 to shoot a 69 and match flightmate Ho’s three-under card for joint second in the P2.5 million championship which used to be part of the country's version of four majors.
Comebacking Toru Nakajima also hit two late backside birdies to card a 70 for a share of fourth with Reymon Jaraula, Nilo Salahog and back-to-back The Country Club Invitational champion Guido van der Valk.
Keanu Jahns, runner-up to absentee Tony Lascuña in the inaugural Villamor Match Play Invitational last November, bucked a two-over 38 card with a birdie-eagle feat from No. 12 to lead the 71 scorers, who included pro-am winner Jay Bayron, Marvin Dumandan, Rolando Marabe, Jr. and Gerald Rosales.
But the day belonged to Rates, who flourished despite lack of competitive play in the first five legs of this year's circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
“I really didn’t expect to score this low. I just tried to relax and hit as many fairways and greens,” said Rates, who battled back from six shots down in regulation then edged Finland’s Janne Kaske on the second playoff hole to snatch the PGT Asia Summit Crown in Lipa City, Batangas five years ago.
But he has struggled since, going winless in 2019 and in bubble tournaments during the pandemic. The diminutive shotmaker from Mt. Malarayat skipped the Visayan swing of this year’s circuit due to illness, wound up 26th at Caliraya Springs and didn’t see action again in the recent Luisita Championship.
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