Becierra, Dumandan shoot 66s, share top

Dante Becierra and Marvin Dumandan carved out 6-under-par 66s yesterday to take a two-shot lead over Jay Bayron after the opening round of the ICTSI Summit Point Golf Classic in Lipa City.

Hot favorite Antonio Lascuña was three strokes behind with a 69 while Elmer Salvador and Miguel Tabuena were another shot back with 70s to set the stage for a mad scramble for the title in this third-to-last leg of the 16-stage circuit sponsored by International Container Terminal Services Inc.

Becierra, still shooting for his first win since turning pro in 2010, eagled the par-5 fifth for a 31 on the front nine while Dumandan matched that eagle on the third hole to also finish with a 31.

“I didn’t expect to shoot this low, much less lead this field. My iron play and putting just clicked and, hopefully, I could hold on till Saturday,” said Becierra in Filipino.

“You have to play loose but steady on this course. It’s quite easy to reach the green in regulation but the challenge is on the greens which varies in condition and character,” said Dumandan also in Filipino.

Bayron, out to end a losing spell since dethroning brother Rufino as ICTSI Splendido champ last March, finished a shot ahead of Lascuña, already a four-leg winner this year and a runner-up in the last two stops of the Asian Tour, Paul Echavez, James Lam and Jhonnel Ababa.

Tabuena, the runner-up in the Asian Tour’s Yeangder Players Championship, finished birdie-birdie to join a big group made up of Clyde Mondilla, Rey Pagunsan, pro-am winner Arnold Villacencio, Korean Gyuha Park, Jessie Balasabas, Japanese amateur Yuto Katsuragawa and Salvador.

Five others turned in one-under 71s, including Ferdie Aunzo, Mars Pucay, Mhark Fernando, Nilo Salahog and Cookie La’O as 21 players broke par and three others matched par on the par-72 Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed layout.