‘Pacto’ tries to turn back hands of time again

MANILA—Robert Pactolerin tries to become just the second man to win back-to-back legs on the ICTSI Tour this season when the P1-million Iloilo Challenge tees off today at the tree-lined, century-old Sta. Barbara layout.

All eyes are on the 50-year-old former Philippine Open champion who conquered a tough field and scored an amazing victory last week at the Marapara in Negros Occidental.

Pactolerin is bracing up for an even tougher challenge at Sta. Barbara, regarded as the first and oldest golf course in the Far East. The roly-poly Ilonggo believes that something close to par after 54 holes could win it all.

“I believe that if you score one-over for three rounds overall, you have a good chance of winning,” Pactolerin told the Inquirer in Filipino after playing in the Pro-Am yesterday won by Rufino Bayron’s team.

“It will be a challenge to make putts because the greens are so hard, yet so slow,” added Pactolerin, who nipped Antonio Lascuña on the fourth playoff hole at Marapara. “Players will have second thoughts attacking the pins.”

Richard Sinfuego, the burly veteran out of Canlubang, enjoys course familiarity, having learned the game at Sta. Barbara.

Marvin Dumandan is also playing well and should also be in the mix.

Only Juvic Pagunsan has managed to win consecutive legs, doing it earlier in the year at the Orchard and Eastridge legs of the Tour organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

The Tour’s top guns, led by Pagunsan, Angelo Que, Lascuña and Artemio Murakami, are again missing from the tournament as they are campaigning in the Selangor Masters leg of the Asian Tour.

Jay Bayron returns to the local circuit after a fruitless stint on the One Asia Tour last week and could be one of the players to watch in the event backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Empire Golf & Sports Shop, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.

Young guns Mark Fernando, Jonel Ababa and Jessie Balasabas will again try to score their maiden victories at Sta. Barbara