Jobim Carlos overhauled an overnight three-shot deficit to zoom to the lead in the $100,000 Central Azucarera de Tarlac Open by shooting a bogey-free five-under-par 67 as opening round leader Elmer Salvador stumbled on another trying day at Luisita in Tarlac.
Carlos drained three of his five birdies coming home for a 36-hole 135 aggregate and, after Salvador finished as the only man in the top 10 who failed to match par with a 73, found a new pursuer in Australia’s Jack Sullivan, who assembled a similar 67 to lie two shots behind.
Jonel Ababa fired a 70 and Thailand’s Nirun Sae-ueng returned a 67 to catch Salvador at 138 and be three shots behind Carlos, who complemented a solid long game with precise putting.
“I played steady and my putting was really good today,” Carlos said.
After Carlos, Salvador and Ababa, there were only three more players occupying slots in the Top 10, with young Keanu Jahns and James Ryan Lam shooting 69s to be at 139 and Joenard Rates assembling a 70 to stay five back like three foreigners, counting American Josh Salah.
Salah, who started the day just four shots behind Salvador, fired a 71.
Clyde Mondilla, the long-hitter from Bukidnon who won last week’s ICTSI Luisita Open of the Philippine Golf Tour, made a move by shooting a 69 to stay six shots behind and keep alive hopes of a second straight title.