ILOILO – Thai Kammalas Namuangruk emerged on top of a crowded leaderboard after firing a two-under 68 for a one-stroke lead over Michael Bibat and three others halfway through the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge on Thursday.
As first round leader Makoto Iwasaki of Japan turned from awesome (64) to awful (76) at the short but tricky Iloilo Golf and Country Club layout, Namuangruk took command with a four birdie-two bogey effort and a 36-hole total of 134.
But a slew of others lay within three shots of the lead, guaranteeing a shootout in the last 36 holes of the P3 million tournament wrapping up the four-stage Visayan swing of the circuit put up by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
“I hit it well and my putting was relatively good although the greens are difficult,” said Namuangruk, 27, who struggled and finished at joint 29th in Negros Occidental last week. “But I have to make two more good rounds to win.”
Bibat shared the lead in one stretch after an eagle in one of the two par-5s on No. 4 and a birdie on the sixth but fumbled with three bogeys to settle for an even par 70. He dropped back to where he started – in joint second at 135, this time with Rene Menor and Spain’s Marcos Pastor, who submitted identical 66s, and Aussie Tim Stewart, who rallied with a 68.
Menor, seeking his first victory since his surprise PGT Asia leg playoff win over two foreign rivals at Splendido in 2017, fired a bogey-free 34-32 round while Pastor, went five-under after 14 holes but missed joining Namuangruk at the helm with a second straight bogey on the tough par-4 15th.
The big-hitting Stewart played in one of the late flights and had three birdies in the last six holes at the front, saving a 68 and putting himself in contention again for the second straight time after losing by two to absentee Jobim Carlos last year.
Art Arbole took charge with a solid four-under 30 at the back but faltered with two bogeys against a birdie in the last six holes at the front. He wound up with a 67 to slip to joint sixth with Reymon Jaraula (66), Albin Engino (67) and Aussie Fidel Concepcion (70).
Juvic Pagunsan, who opened with a so-so 69 Wednesday, moved up from joint 12th and threatened the leaders by going three-under in the day on back-to-back birdies from No. 14.
But the fancied Negrense, eyeing a third straight victory after sweeping the Bacolod legs in Binitin and Marapara, bogeyed the par-3 16th and fell to joint 10th at 137 with JR Salahog (68), just three strokes off the Thai.
Elmer Salvador and Rupert Zaragosa also carded a pair of 66s to join Enrico Gallardo (68), Jhonnel Ababa (69), Colombia’s Mateo Gomez (69), Anthony Fernando (71) and Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational winner Guido Van der Valk of the Netherlands (71) at 12th at 138.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
