Solid in soft conditions, Jahns now five ahead

Keanu Jahns weaves some greenside magic. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Finding the softened conditions to his liking, Keanu Jahns on Thursday opened up a five-shot lead in the P2-million ICTSI Forest Hills Classic after shooting two eagles in a four-under-par 67 that shoved him closer to a maiden professional win.

With rains pouring consistently the whole round, the Nicklaus layout at the complex in Antipolo was a far more difficult puzzle that Jahns figured out as he takes a 131 aggregate into the money rounds, leading Eric Gallardo and club bet Randy Garalde by a comfortable margin.

“I’m thankful for the on-and-off weather conditions,” said Jahns after nailing his third shot from off the green at the par-5 16th—his seventh hole—and another at the sixth, another par-5.

“Without the rain, I think it would’ve been tougher with more roll on the greens.”

Seasoned campaigners Antonio Lascuña and Angelo Que returned 69s to be eight back, and both would need to go really low in the third round on Friday to matter on the final day.

Aidric Chan fired a 69 to be six behind even as only 13 players are now left with sub-par totals as the up-and-down layout which, is playing a lot longer than its 7,101 yards, has started taking a toll on a number of players, Gallardo being one of them.

“Walking this course is tough. I just need some rest and to stretch because stamina is really important here,” said Gallardo, who followed up an opening 65 with a level 71.

Garalde, meanwhile, didn’t take too many chances off the tees despite being very familiar with the course, knowing that errant drives will be penalized by the rough made even tougher by the wet conditions.

“It’s difficult adjusting to the weather, that’s why I wasn’t too aggressive off the tees,” Garalde, who fired a 69 that went with an opening 67, said as he stayed on track to posting his best finish in a long while.

Rupert Zaragosa was also in Lascuña’s company after his version of a 69 even as Dutchman Guido van der Valk assembled a 68 for 139.

Defending champion Clyde Mondilla, who opened up with a 60 on the way to victory last year, fired a second straight 72 to be 13 shots off.