Bayron fends off Lascuña charge, leads by 2 strokes

GEN. TRIAS, CAVITE—Jay Bayron carded a second straight 71 then thwarted a late assault by Tony Lascuña to lead by two halfway through the ICTSI Eagle Ridge Challenge at wind-raked Faldo here Thursday.

Bayron, seeking to snap a long spell on the Philippine Golf Tour, rattled off three straight birdies from No. 13 to move from third to the top but fumbled with a bogey on No. 16. He dropped two more strokes on Nos. 3 and 6 against an opening birdie en route to a 142 total.

Lascuña fought back with birdies on Nos. 5 and 6, but bogeyed the seventh to finish with a 71 and a 144 total in the P2.5 million event.

Another stroke back at 145 were first round coleader Toru Nakajima of Japan, Paul Harris of the United States and Guido Van der Valk of the Netherlands.

Nakajima, who shared top spot with Ira Christian Alido, hobbled with a 75; Harris rallied with a 70, while Van der Valk fired a 73.

Americans Dino Giacommazi and Nicolas Paez shared sixth spot at 146 following a 70 and 73, respectively.