Aidric Chan finished with a flurry Monday and is threatening to put a lock on a Philippine team slot to the Southeast Asian Games even with three rounds left in the qualifying tournament.
Chan shot a six-under-par 66 to open up an eight-shot lead over Carl Corpuz and leave everyone else in the field practically battling it out for the remaining two berths for the Nov. 30 to Dec. 10 event also at tree-lied Luisita in Tarlac.
Chan birdied four of the last five holes and will take a 352 aggregate into the final three rounds even as Corpuz fired a 71 to stay mathematically in the hunt for top honors.
Gab Manotoc also fired a 71 to climb two rungs to third at 361, just one shot ahead of Luis Castro, who shot a 73. Sean Ramos floundered with a 75 and slipped to 364.
The National Golf Association of the Philippines will still have a captain’s pick, which, according to sources, will likely be Jolo Magcalayo.
Abegail Arevalo, the San Jose State standout in the US, will lead the women’s team.