Putra Cuppers 6 clear of Thais as Fernando shoots 69

The Philippines rode on the day-best three-under-par 69 of Mark Fernando Wednesday to zoom to a six-shot lead over defending champion Thailand after the opening round of the 50th Putra Cup team golf championship at the soggy Royal Selangor Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.   With the course playing longer after strong overnight rains, the Filipinos parlayed their best as teenager Miguel Tabuena chipped in with a 72 and Jonel Ababa accounted for a 73 to round out their front-running two-under 214.   Jessie Balasabas did not count with a 76 under in the four-to-play, three-to-count format.   “The boys really went all out considering how tough the course played,” non-playing captain Tommy Manotoc told the Inquirer in an overseas call. “I’d like to say that the golf gods also smiled at us and rewarded the boys for their efforts.”   Atthachai Jaichalad paced the Thais with a 71, and Poom Saksansin added a 73. But Thailand’s 220 effort was weighed down by either the 76 of Wasin Sripattranusorn or Supakorn Utaipat.   The Philippines also paced the boys’ 18-under class, known as the Lion City Cup, with reigning RP Amateur titlist Clyde Mondilla firing a 72, Mico Yee assembling a 76 and Jobim Carlos contributing a 78 for 226. Andres Saldana’s 80 did not count.   Thailand lay four strokes behind in second after getting 76s from Atiwit Janewattanond, Rattanon Wannasrichan and a 78 from Naitpon Srithong.   In ladies play, former RP Ladies champ Yupaporn Kawinpakorn fired a 69 and powered Thailand to a six-shot lead over the Philippines, which drew 75s from Andie Unson and Irina Gabasa and a 77 from Chihiro Ikeda. Dottie Ardina’s 78 failed to count.   Fernando, the reigning Malaysian and Indonesian Am champ, was at his best, while Tabuena, seeing action in a men’s event for the first time for the country, actually finished double bogey-par-bogey.   Host Malaysia got a 73 from Mohd Lylia, and Singapore, the 2008 champion, could only draw a 74 from United States-trained Choo Tze Huang to share third spot in the Putra Cup with a 224 aggregates, 10 strokes off the Philippines.   The Philippines used to dominate this tournament but has never hoisted Southeast Asia’s official team championship trophy since 1991, when Tony Lascuña, Rey Pagunsan, Gerard Cantada and Richard Sinfuego won in Burma.