LONG-HITTING Orlan Sumcad fired a bogey-free 6-under-par 66 yesterday and wrested a one-shot lead over Antonio Lascuna and Zannie Boy Gialon halfway through the ICTSI Eagle Ridge Invitational at the Aoki course in Trece Martirez, Cavite.
It was the journeyman Sumcad’s best round in ages and it propped up his bid for a breakthrough championship with a 135 total that kept Lascuna and Gialon, who shot 70s, at bay.
The hottest man on tour the last three weeks, Clyde Mondilla, moved three shots behind after a 70 even as Jessie Balasabas, who shared the first round lead with Lascuna and Gialon after a 66 on Tuesday, skied to a 76 to be seven adrift.
“The key was to keep the ball in the fairway,” Sumcad said in Filipino.
Mondilla, the champion in the last two events, had six birdies against four bogeys, failing to flash the consistency he did in triumphing in the Manila Masters at Eastridge in a playoff over Jobim Carlos and at Calatagan.
Jonel Ababa fired a 68, Marvin Dumandan matched par and Japan’s Ryoma Miki assembled a 69 for 139s.
Former Philippine Open champion Elmer Salvador fired a 68 to be six behind Sumcad like Joenard Rates, rookie Justin Quiban and the veteran Mars Pucay, who shot 71, 70 and 70, in that order.
“I’m very happy to be just a shot behind,” said the 43-year-od Lascuna after the round that was suspended for close to an hour because of threat of lightning. “No one has an advantage on this course.”