SINGAPORE?After just 18 holes in his very first tour of duty for the Philippines, Rufino Bayron made himself his own man and successfully stepped out of the shadows of his older brother.

The rookie checked a sputtering finish by nailing a curling 12-footer for birdie on the 18th hole on Tuesday to shoot a three-under 68 and anchor the Philippines to a 209 tally, just three shots off a hot Singapore crew at the start of the 48th Putra Cup.
On a day when even spearhead Ferdinand Aunzo struggled at the Bukit course of the Singapore Island Country Club here, the 26-year-old Rufino Bayron was there to do what older brother Jay was counted upon to do so many times in the recent past?bail the team out.

?I felt no pressure at all and just played my game,? Rufino, a former Canlubang mainstay in the PAL Interclub and reigning DHL Amateur champion, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in Filipino.

?Maybe it just so happened that my game clicked today, but I expect the veterans in the team (Aunzo and Ababa) to contribute heavily in the succeeding days,? said Bayron, who was discovered by the National Caddies Open program two years ago.

Aunzo needed to rip a 3-wood from 270 yards on the par-5, 570-yard 13th hole to set up a chip-in eagle from around the green and seal a 70, with young Tonlits Asistio churning out a 71 to make up the Philippine card which proved impressive enough.

Jonel Ababa, the other veteran of the team after Aunzo, couldn?t solve the greens of the tree-lined, up-and-down James Baird creation and limped home with a 75 that was thrown away.

After opening up with a birdie and picking up three more shots in his next 14 holes, Bayron was working on a four-under card going into the closing three before missing the 16th green and three-putting the 17th for bogeys.

Ace Choo Tze Huang, the burly 21-year-old touted to be the future of Singapore golf, and Jonathan Leong both returned 68s and, together with Quincy Quek?s 70, gave the hosts an impressive opening effort of 206.

Singapore, which won this tournament two years ago when the Philippines and Thailand skipped the event in Papua New Guinea, got its lead in the final two holes with its top three players shooting a combined four-under after Quek finished birdie-birdie.

?We?re in a good position, considering how hot Singapore started,? said national coach Bong Lopez after watching Aunzo miss a six-footer for birdie on No. 18. ?Three strokes behind is still a manageable deficit.

?The important thing is that we were able to go under par on the first day,? he added. ?It gives the players the confidence and it tells a lot on the abilities of this team.?

Team Philippines is considered one of the favorites in the eight-nation meet and this hardy group, culled from two grueling qualifying stages, is given an even chance of ending a 12-year title drought for the country that once lorded it over Southeast Asia?s official team championship.

?Running second this early is good,? said former Putra Cup ace Tommy Manotoc, who won the Singapore Am on this course two decades ago and who made the trip to cheer the Filipinos. ?I would rather have us chasing than being chased.

?Young players have the tendency of folding up while holding the lead early,? he explained. ?And that?s an added burden for them (Singaporeans).?

Defending champion Thailand, which lost two members of the team that won this event in Laguna last year, was another three shots behind the Filipinos with a 212 built around the 69 of Tanyakorn Krongpha.

Apichart Parditak assembled a 70 and Varan Israbhakdi a 73 for the next two Thai scores even as reigning Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Pipatpong Neawsuk did not count with a 74.

Myanmar got a 69 from Aung Win, a 73 from Nay Myint and 74 from Sow Moe Win for a 216 and fourth spot, eight off the pace and six up on Indonesia, which got 74s from Rudi Anto, Taufik and Arya Rianto.

The Philippine Team in the second Lion?s Cup?the junior version of this event?struggled big time and found itself trailing Singapore by 12 strokes in fourth spot.

Wolen Superal, the former junior world champion, led the Filipinos with a 73 and Jobim Carlos and Art Arbole added 76s for the Philippines? 225. Chepe Dulay?s 79 did not count.

Jonathan Woo matched par, Johnson Poh assembled a 72 and Chia Chong Zheng a 74 for the hosts? pace-setting 217 aggregate that was good for a one-stroke lead over Thailand.

The Thais got a 72 from Thitipun Choeyprakong and 73s from Nond Un-Mueng and Arttachai Jai-Chalad for their 218. Malaysia was in third, another five strokes behind at 223.