Mondilla wrests lead by 2

Clyde Mondilla knocked down four of his five birdies on the back nine yesterday to shoot a 4-under-par 68 and wrest a two-shot lead over Miguel Tabuena halfway through the ICTSI Manila Masters at Eastridge.

The long-hitter out of Bukidnon carved out a 35-33 card in the up-and-down, bending layout, even as the defending champion Tabuena floundered coming home with a double bogey and two bogeys for a 73.

Mondilla, seeking to win for the second time on tour, will take a 139 aggregate into the weekend with Ferdie Aunzo, the former amateur ace, four strokes behind after a 67 highlighted by seven birdies.

Antonio Lascuña and Angelo Que fired 71s to lead a five-man group at 143 even as Mars Pucay, Robert Pactolerin and Benjie Magada bowing out of the weekend play.

Pucay and Pactolerin fired a 74 and 77, respectively, for 153, missing the cut by a stroke with Magada, who held the third round lead of the Splendido Classic won by Tabuena last week, shooting a 76 for 154.

Aunzo made six of his birdies in his first 10 holes, while Lascuña was working on a two-under card going into his last two only to bogey the 17th.