Ricar Candidato and Ariel Villasencio carded a four-over-par 76 in two-ball foursome play yesterday to pace the first round of the NGAP National Doubles Championship presented by the MVP Sports Foundation at Eastridge.
The obscure pair was the steadiest in the tough back nine of the layout, firing a 37 as they took a one-shot lead over the fancied tandem of Rupert Zaragosa and JP de Claro in the event that forms part of the PLDT Group Amateur Tour.
Davao natives Candidato and Villasencio were recruited by the host club for its grassroots program. They are seeing action in their first national event.
Zaragosa-De Claro shot a 77, even as former pro Jude Eustaquio and Migs Garcia lay another shot back.
Korean expatriates ruled the first round in Ladies play with Hwang Min-jeong and Seong Eun-jeong leading Koh Eun-ah and Song Min-jeong by eight after a 76.
Park Min-ung and Koh Myeong-hun shot an 80, two in front of Carlo Villaroman-Jay-R Salahug and Jed Dy-Ryan Monsalve. At 83 was the father-son pair of Tommy Manotoc and Gabriel Manotoc.