Bayron, Korean share Calatagan lead

CALATAGAN, Batangas—Rufino Bayron, a former national team mainstay still seeking a breakthrough pro win, rode a hot back nine to shoot a five-under-par 67 and share the ICTSI Calatagan lead with Korean amateur Hwang Kang-yul yesterday.

Bayron was flawless in his final nine holes, gunning down three of his six birdies to complete one of his finest starts as a pro before he was joined by Hwang on top in taking the limelight away from star Juvic Pagunsan.

Pagunsan, seeing action on local soil for the first time since finishing second in the Japan Open close to two weeks ago, eagled the par-5 finishing hole to salvage a 72 and stay five shots off the pace.

Joenard Rates was in third with a 69 even as Marvin Dumandan, Arnold Villacencio and defending champion Jonel Ababa were another shot back after churning out contrasting versions of 70s over the tree-lined, Robert Trent Jones course.

Pagunsan actually finished birdie-eagle, offsetting a poor start that saw him bogey the par-5 first and dropping shots on the 8th and 9th for a front side 38.

Hwang, a 19-year-old playing out of Riviera in Silang, Cavite, birdied two of his first four holes before picking up another shot on the par-3 eighth to reach 3-under at the turn.

Charles Hong had an up-and-down 71 highlighted by a three-hole stretch of birdies and a same string of dropped shots on the front nine.