Lewton retains 2-shot PH Open lead

STA. ROSA, Laguna—Englishman Steve Lewton overcame the soggy and blustery conditions Saturday with an eagle-spiked 71 and stayed in the lead going into the final round of the Solaire Philippine Open at The Country Club here.

The tall and lanky Lewton preserved a third straight sub-par card despite bogeying the last hole to pace American flightmate Johannes Veerman by two shots and Rattanon Wannasrichan of Thailand by three.

Together with his earlier rounds of 70 and 71, Lewton, a former mainstay of North Carolina State University, totaled 212 as he inched closer to the top purse of $72,000 (about P3.6 million).

The long-hitter from Bedford, England, three-putted No. 1 for the third straight day, picked up a shot on the par-3 No. 6 and then shot his eagle on the par 5 No. 8—which he had birdied in the first two rounds—by hitting a 5-iron second shot from 230 yards to within nine feet of the cup.

“I played pretty good in the rain,” said the 6-foot-4 Lewton, winner of the 2014 Mercuries Taiwan Masters at the expense of Filipino Tony Lascuña.

Veerman matched Lewton’s 71 to be at 214, a shot in front of Rattanon, who managed a 72.

Lascuña carded a third straight 72 for 216 to become the best Filipino hope at four shots back. Top local bet Miguel Tabuena’s challenge fizzled out after a 75 and a 218, six shots off Lewton.