Fernando pads Riviera lead to 4

SILANG, Cavite—Mark Fernando rescued a level par 71 with steady play on the back nine yesterday to build a four-shot lead over Jessie Balasabas going into today’s final 18 holes of the rich ICTSI Riviera Classic at the Langer layout here.

The champion here as an amateur four years ago, Fernando opened up bogey-bogey and saw his overnight lead reduce to one but he bounced back with three birdies against one more bogey coming home to salvage a 36-35 round and 209 total after 54 holes.

Balasabas fired a 69 using an eagle-spiked 31 at the back as the former National Caddies Open champion zoomed into contention for a breakthrough win with an even 213 tally.

Fernando and Balasabas have never played in the final round of a tournament ever since Balasabas won the NCO at Wack Wack in 2005. Both went on to carry the Philippine Team colors overseas before turning professional.

Others in hunt

Another NCO product, Paul Echavez, fired a 71 and was tied for third place with the veteran Rey Pagunsan at 214, a stroke ahead of a group made up of former Philippine Open champion Robert Pactolerin, Elmer Saban and Edward Reyes.

Pactolerin cracked par for the first time with a  70 putting while Saban, the winner last week at Splendido in Tagaytay, fired a 71. Reyes limped home with a 74.

First-round leader Gerald Rosales improved slightly to a 73 but trailed by seven strokes like Marvin Dumandan, the former host club bet who returned a 75. Both would need truly big final rounds today to snap long winless spells.

The winds wrecked havoc on the field before calmer conditions prevailed in late morning and allowed the players to score in the back nine.

Balasabas had a 38 coming out but picked up two shots on the 10th before gunning down two more birds in the next three holes to get his rally going.

After a bogey on the 15th, Balasabas birdied the next two.

The champion goes home with a handsome P450,000 prize.

Big lead

“The wind really affected my game in the early going but I was able to recover again,” said Fernando in Filipino.

“I’ll just stick to my game plan—fairway and green since we expect the wind to come into play again plus the tough pin placements.”

“It’s a big lead but I’ll still try my best,” said Balasabas, out to end a string of so-so finishes this year marred by two missed cut stints.

“I think everybody has a chance since the course is tough but I have to shoot under-par to gain a crack at the crown.”

Other backers of the event are Nike Golf, Srixon, Custom Clubmakers, Pacsports, Cleveland Golf, Callaway, Ping, Mizuno, Empire Golf and Sports Shop, FootJoy, Titleist, Sharp, BMW and Gergia Energy Foods.