Jaraula keeps two-shot lead after a 72

Staying poised despite a putter that seemed to have abandoned him coming home, Reymon Jaraula on Thursday churned out a level-par 72 to stay two shots ahead of Ira Alido after 54 holes of the P2 million ICTSI Valley Golf Challenge in Antipolo.

With the demanding South course yielding the fewest sub-par rounds the entire week, Jaraula held sway despite opening and closing his final nine with bogeys, taking a 207 aggregate into the final round as he guns to pocket just his second title as a pro.

Alido had a roller-coaster round of five birdies against the same number of bogeys and failed to gain ground after a similar 72, even as Clyde Mondilla made a big move by shooting a 69 to be just four behind. Jonel Ababa, Japan’s Atsushi Ueda and South Korea’s Chon Koo-kang are all five behind after rounds of 70, 71 and 72, respectively.

“I wasn’t rattled,” Jaraula said of his grouping with Alido and the multititled Antonio Lascuña, who scored a 73 to fall six behind. “I made a good start, but I struggled with my putting again at the back and missed a number of (birdie) chances.“

Meanwhile, amateur Mafy Singson closed out with a 71 to rule the ladies side of the event by three shots over Daniella Uy.

Singson, coached by swing guru Bong Lopez, tallied a 54-hole 219, with Uy checking in second after a 73. Lois Kaye Go, a teammate of Singson in the Philippine team, also scored a 71 for 223.