Powered by putting, Gialon gets in the middle of Carlos-Kim duel

BACOLOD—Zanieboy Gialon went on an early birdie binge for a six-under 29 en route to a 65 and a three-stroke lead over Jobim Carlos in the second round of the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic at Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club here Thursday.

Gialon’s hot round spoiled what could’ve been another Carlos-Kim Joo-hyung faceoff.

Carlos and Kim, who had dueled for two of the three titles in the Mindanao swing of the Philippine Golf Tour last month where Gialon missed the cut in all stops, took the 1-2 posts at the close of their morning stint in another sweltering day, only to yield the spotlight in the face of Gialon’s sizzling start that netted him the lead at 132.

Gialon, Carlos and Kim took the top three spots halfway through the P3.5-million event sponsored by ICTSI.

Gialon rattled off six birdies in the first nine holes to move four-up over Carlos with nine holes to play.

Though he slowed down at the back with three bogeys against two birdies, the Davao ace stayed on top at eight-under overall, moving within 36 holes of ending a yearlong drought.

“My putting clicked early on. I just hope to sustain it in the last two rounds,” Gialon said.