Zanieboy Gialon birdied three of the last four holes to tally a 6-under 66 and post a three-stroke lead over Tony Lascuña going to the last round of the ICTSI Calatagan Golf Challenge at Calatagan Golf Club in Batangas.
Counting his earlier rounds of 70-69, Gialon pooled an 11-under 205 and moved closer to ending a long title spell in the Philippine Golf Tour.
Lascuña matched Gialon’s tournament-best round and provided a strong challenge at 208.
The Bayron brothers, Rufino and Jay, remained in the hunt following a 67 and 71, respectively.
Like Gialon, who made a 31 at the back, Rufino also finished strongly with a 33 and took solo third at 209. Jay settled for a 71 and was at fourth spot with 211.
Second round co-leader Jhonnel Ababa flubbed two birdie putts in the early going and hit just two birdies against three bogeys for a 73 and a 212, the same total posted by Clyde Mondilla and American Nicolas Paez.
Mondilla, gunning for a third straight title in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc., shot a 69 while Paez posted a 70. —ROY LUARCA