Carlos fires bogey-free 71, paces PH Am by 1

NO MATTER how good he is, Jobim Carlos swears he has never gone bogey-free in his life.

After finally posting his first such round yesterday, the 21-year-old is hoping that it would ultimately lead to another career milestone: Win the Philippine Amateur Open championship.

Carlos fired a 1-under-par 71 in ideal conditions to take a one-stroke lead over LJ Go after the first round of the 72-hole championship presented by the MVP Sports Foundation at the heavily wooded East course of Wack Wack.

Carlos pulled off the bogey-free round by scrambling for par on the 18th—the only green he missed—to get his bid for a breakthrough here on the right track.

“I have shot very low scores before, but this one is special,” said Carlos, who shot his only birdie—a 12-footer set up by a pitching wedge from 125 yards on No. 2.

“I just hope to be able to perform as consistently for the rest of the week.”

Go, the teener who helped Cebu Country Club dominate the PAL Interclub for the last two years, was also nursing a one-under card after 13 holes only to bogey the 15th and finish with a a 72, two strokes ahead of Jik-Jik Abdon and two dangerous Singaporeans.

Jerome Ng, the Singapore team spearhead and defending champion, carded a 74 like teammate Johnson Poh, while Gabriel Atienza and Luigi Guerrero were another shot back after 75s.

Making the most out of benign conditions, Carlos got in trouble only on the 18th when he hit a wayward tee shot to the right, tree-lined rough. He punched out with a 5-iron to within 30 yards of the green before calmly pitching to within five feet for the par-saving putt.

Gabriel Manotoc fired a 76 to be five shots behind like Korean expatriates Jun Tea-yang and Song Seung-hyo, young talents playing out of the Riviera.

The event, part of the PLDT Group Amateur Tour, is being backed by Pancake House, Golf Depot and Pacsports.