Van Der Valk stays 2 ahead of Mondilla

STA. ROSA, LAGUNA—Guido Van der Valk scrambled just well enough to shoot a three-over-par 75 in the third round and keep a two-stroke lead over Clyde Mondilla, moving on the cusp of being the third straight foreigner to rule the rich The Country Club Invitational as the other pursuers stumbled in the face of the most brutal condition of the week.

“I think this is the best round I played,” Van der Valk said as he takes a 220 tally into the final round. “I think today was the hardest, with the wind blowing all 18 holes. Just look at the scores. I’m very happy with my 75.”

Mondilla, who won the Philippine Open in this windswept layout last year, also shot a 75, and with Jay Bayron four shots behind after a 76 and Antonio Lascuña another two strokes clear with a bir­die-less 78, it could be a two-man race in the final 18 holes for the P1.5 million top prize.

Mondilla, who blew into contention with a second round 70 on Thursday where he hit all greens in regulation, struggled with his short irons this time and felt lucky enough to be within striking distance for another huge payday.

“You have to be consistent here,” Mondilla said in Filipino. “I missed a lot of greens today and I didn’t putt so well.”

Many-time national champion Rupert Zaragosa gained some ground despite a 78 to be in the company of Lascuña.