Mondilla, 2 foreigners share Splendido lead

LAUREL, BATANGAS—Clyde Mondilla had an eagle, seven birdies and a bit of everything else on Tuesday to shoot a five-under-par 67 and settle for a share of the opening round lead with two foreign bets in the P2 million ICTSI Splendido Taal Championship here.

“I had two bad tee shots that cost me four strokes,” Mondilla said in Filipino after a 32-35 round which he closed out with a bogey. “I could have easily been at nine-under. But it’s OK, at least the momentum is there.”

South Korea’s Min Seong-kim and Japan’s Daiya Suzuki also returned 67s to complete a trio that led a three-man group made up of Angelo Que, rookie Aidric Chan and Korean Tae Soo-kim by a shot as a total of 14 players cracked par, counting Antonio Lascuña, who was tied with Fidel Concepcion two shots off.

“It’s windy out here and it’s really tough,” said Mondilla, the Caliraya Springs champion this season who signed for a double bogey 6 on the 13th. He was working on a seven-under card after that eagle 3 on No. 11.

Five players that included promising rookie Ryan Monsalve submitted 70s even as Guido van der Valk, the fancied Dutchman, withdrew after nine holes because of a left shoulder injury.

Lascuña, the reigning The Country Club champion seeking his first leg win this season, was also at seven-under after 11 holes only to drop shots in his next three holes. He then double bogeyed the par-3 17th for a 31-38. INQ