LUBAO, Pampanga – Keanu Jahns capitalized on another scoring opportunity at Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club, delivering a second straight 68 to seize a three-shot lead over Tony Lascuña at the halfway mark of the ICTSI Pradera Verde Championship on Wednesday.
Not even a late-round downpour accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms which forced a one-hour suspension of play could derail Jahns’ charge back to the top of the leaderboard. He calmly closed with a string of four pars for a pair of 34s and a 36-hole aggregate of 136.
Length a major asset
“My ball-striking was much better today. I hit more greens, made the same number of putts and cut my bogeys down to just one after making three in the opening round,” said Jahns.
He added his length off the tee is a major asset on the wide layout but emphasized that his smart-aggressive approach has been just as important.
“Power is a big advantage here because the course is wide and suits longer hitters. I play smart-aggressive, and it fits my game,” he said.
Carl Corpus matched Jahns with birdies on Nos. 10 and 12 to stay in command but stumbled with bogeys on Nos. 15 and 18. A birdie on No. 1 briefly reignited his charge before a costly double bogey on the ninth led to a 73, dropping him into a tie for third at 140 alongside first-round co-leader Russell Bautista, who also hobbled with a one-over card.
Lascuña leaned on a sharp short game and steady putting to offset his lack of length off the tee, firing a 71 to take solo second at 139.
Fresh from his dominant Pinewoods victory, Lloyd Go rebounded from an opening 72 with a blistering backside 32 but settled for a 69 after a bogey on No. 2. At 141, he shared fifth with Ira Alido, Albin Engino, who matched 70s, and Gab Manotoc, Collin Wheeler, and defending Pradera Verde-Pinatubo champion Angelo Que, who all shot 72s.
Zanieboy Gialon, who also opened with a 67, slipped with a 74 marred by a double bogey on the par-3 eighth, falling into the group at three-under overall.
Forty-two players advanced to the weekend at 150, including James Ryan Lam (75), John Michael Uy (76), Jobim Carlos (78) and amateur Jed Dy (75).
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