Bayron sets Cebu golf pace with 66

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Jay Bayron flashed near-flawless form in ideal conditions, shooting a six-under-par 66 Wednesday for a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the Aboitiz Invitational at the exclusive Cebu Country Club layout here.   With heavy overnight rains delaying the start by an hour and making the greens receptive, Bayron assembled nines of 33-33 with the only blemish coming on the last hole when he missed the fairway for a bogey.   Winter rules were in effect because of soggy fairways and what should have been a beast of a short course proved a haven for birdies as 21 players cracked par with Jun Bernis, the former RP Am and DHL champ still looking for a breakthrough win as a pro, alone in second after a 67.   Marvin Dumandan and Artemio Murakami were two strokes off the pace after 68s with the revered Frankie Miñoza, veteran Rey Pagunsan and Dutchman Guido Van Der Valk lurking another shot back after churning out identical 34-35 cards for 69s.   Albin Engino, a rookie pro out of Canlubang, also had a 69 built on three birdies on the front nine.   Bayron gunned down three birds in his last four holes on the front nine for his outward 33. He got it down to seven under before failing to rescue par on the 18th from 16 feet.   “I don’t know, I seem to be very eager in the final round and it has affected my short game,” said Bayron when asked why he has not been able to close out tournaments this season.   Bernis had six birdies against a missed green bogey on the par-3 15th in his best start in a tournament this season.   Miñoza, playing the course where he won the RP Am title as a 17-year-old 33 years ago, had four birdies against two bogeys with Angelo Que, the hottest player in the circuit after winning in Malaysia last week, settling for a lukewarm 70 to be four down.   “I still like where I am,” Que, who had three birdies against a lone bogey that came on the short par-4 sixth hole, told the Inquirer. “Anything can still happen in a course rendered soft.”   Antonio Lascuna, another Asian Tour veteran, was also four shots adrift like Que and six others, including former RP Open and RP Masters champion Robert Pactolerin and amateurs Jonel Ababa and Mark Fernando.   Fifty-two players were seven shots  or less behind with reigning RP Open champion Elmer Salvador, who lost a won tournament at Del Monte two weeks ago for a rules infraction, firing a 73.   The 54-hole event presented by the International Container Terminal Services Inc. is sponsored by Aboitiz Equity Ventures and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and backed by MJ Carr golf, Jaguar, Land Rover, Studio 23, Balls TV, Srixon/Cleveland golf, Callaway Golf, Odyssey and Golf Punk and media partners Business Mirror, A Round of Golf, Pinoygolfer.com, Omnisource and Inquirer Golf Monthly.