Two underdogs pace Canlubang with 69s

CANLUBANG, Laguna—Journeymen Randy Garalde and Elmer Saban churned out sparkling 3-under-par 69s yesterday for a one-stroke lead over three tournament heavyweights after the first round of the ICTSI Canlubang Invitational at North course here.

Garalde had an eagle-spiked nines of 37-32, while Saban fired four birdies against a lone bogey over the tree-lined layout to share the lead over Jonel Ababa, Ferdie Aunzo and the in-form Jay Bayron.

Garalde actually had a horrid start, going three-over in his first five holes before holing out a wedge for a 2 on the short par-4 eighth hole and then finishing with three straight birdies for one of his finest starts in a tournament.

Ababa, a second-year pro with four leg victories, also finished hot with a 33, picking up three of his five birds on the back nine even as Mark Fernando and Jomar Pepito fired 71s to round out the par-breakers for the day.

Bayron, who won an Asean Development Tour leg in Malaysia two weeks ago, also closed out with a 33 and is definitely a dangerous customer over the course he calls home.

Robert Pactolerin, the former Philippine Open champion taking a break from the lucrative Japan Senior Tour like Frankie Miñoza, returned a level 72 along with three others with eight players shooting 73s to be just four shots off in the 54-hole tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

Miñoza, the newly crowned Japan Senior Open champ, fired a 74 together with Cassius Casas and rookie Jude Eustaquio with Marvin Dumandan leading a seven-man group that shot 75s in the penultimate leg of the 15-stage circuit sponsored by ICTSI.

Defending champion Artemio Murakami continued to struggle, shooting a 79 to be in danger of missing the second round cut. Last year, Murakami opened with a course-record 64 before going on to post a runaway eight-shot victory.

The other backers of the circuit are Empire Golf, Titleist, Footjoy, Callaway, TaylorMade, Mizuno, Srixon, Nike Golf, Custom Clubmakers and Sharp with Balls, Studio 23, Pinoygolfer.com and Inquirer Golf as media partners. Musong R. Castillo