GIO Gandionco birdied his last three holes and shot a 4-under-par 68 yesterday to grab a two-stroke lead over Fezley Chua of Malaysia going into the last 18 holes of the Philippine Amateur Junior (Open) championship in Cebu.
The 16-year-old Gandionco struck his approaches close in the finishing holes at the Cebu Country Club for a 142 aggregate even as Chua settled for a 73 with three back-nine bogeys in a 35-38 card.
A favorite in the centerpiece Group 1, Gandionco actually birdied four of his last six holes and could have returned an even lower score had it not been for earlier bogeys on 13 and 15.
Gen Nagai, a Japanese also playing for the host club, fired a 74 for 146, a stroke ahead of Justin Quiban, who shot an ace in the 180-yard fifth hole using a 6-iron for a 73 and tied Basti Lorenzo in the event backed by Pancake House, Titleist and Golf Depot.
LJ Go remained mathematically in the hunt despite a second straight 74, trailing his good buddy Gandionco by six in the event serving as the fourth leg of the Globe-National Golf Association of the Philippines circuit.
The biggest letdown for the day was lefty Andres Saldana, the Alabang Country Club star in the PAL Interclub who kissed his bid goodbye after ballooning to an 82 for 156, 14 shots off the pace.
Bianca Pagdanganan grabbed the solo lead in girl’s Group 1 by shooting a 76 to pull ahead of erstwhile joint leader Felicia Medalla by five with a 154 total. Medalla fired an 81 for 159.