Ryan Monsalve and Lanz Uy combined for nine birdies and dominated the opening four-ball format with a 59 to seize a two-stroke lead over Paolo Wong and Don Petil in the National Doubles Amateur Golf Championship at Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club in Quezon City Wednesday.
Monsalve and Uy, who yielded the overall crown to Carl Corpus and Yuto Katsuragawa last year, broke away from a four-way tie after nine holes with five birdies at the backside of the par-68 layout, capping their romp with back-to-back birdies for a 31-28 card.
Wong and Petil, matched Monsalve and Uy’s 31 start then added a 30 at the back to land at second with a 61.
Lester Lagman and Gab Manotoc carded 31-31 for a 62.
Rupert Zaragosa and Adrian Romero also failed to sustain their 31 start and fell five strokes off the pace at 64.
Carlo Gatmaytan and Rocky Brobio pooled a 65 for fifth while the pairs of Sean Ramos-Jed Dy, Dan Cruz-Luigi Guerrero, Aniceto Mandanas-Carlo Quimson and Clare Legaspi-Felicia Medalla each shot 66s.