Bayron fires 66, opens 5-shot lead over Ababa

MANILA—Title-favorite Jay Bayron threatened to run away with the ICTSI Iloilo Challenge championship after shooting a second-round 4-under-par 66 yesterday to open a five-stroke lead over Tour rookie Jonel Ababa.

Starting the day tied for the lead with veterans Danny Zarate and Cassius Casas, Bayron pulled away by gunning down five birdies in a 14-hole stretch for a 36-hole total of 133 going into today’s final round at the Sta. Barbara course in Iloilo.

Ababa wheeled into position for the best finish of his young pro career after firing a 68 for 138, a stroke clear of a four-man group made up of Zarate, Gene Bondoc, Dan Delos Santos and Randy Garalde.

The only blemish on Bayron’s card came on his penultimate hole, the eighth, where he missed the green.

“It’s still not over; the course is playing tough because of its hard greens,” said Bayron, who is shooting for his first Tour win this season.

Ababa, a former national team mainstay, actually was one over heading into his final eight holes until he picked up three shots in a four-hole span from the 11th.

After carving out a 67 in the opening round, Zarate returned a 72 on another hot day, while Bondoc had a 68, Delos Santos a 70 and Garalde a 71 as they became the last players under par in the P1-million event.

Negros Occidental champion Robert Pactolerin, who carded a 77 on Wednesday, added a 74 for 151 and missed the cut by four strokes.

Antonio Asistio and Carl Santos-Ocampo fashioned out 68s, while Ruben Sasutil, Jun Bernis and Ed Ababa carved out 69s to catch Dante Becierra and Rufino Bayron at level 140. Becierra shot a 71, while Bayron fired a 72.

Casas, another former Philippine Open champion in the field like Pactolerin, also failed to sustain his fiery start, submitting a 74 for 141, eight strokes off the pace.

The event is 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.

The leading scores:
133—J. Bayron 67-66; 138—J. Ababa 70-68; 139—G. Bondoc 71-68, D. Delos Santos 69-70, R. Garalde 68-71, D. Zarate 67-72; 140—C. Santos-Ocampo 72-68, A. Asistio 72-68, R. Sasutil 71-69, J. Bernis 71-69, E. Ababa 71-69, D. Becierra 69-71, R. Bayron 68-72; 141—A. Villacencio 73-68, P. San Gabriel 72-69, A. Cruz 70-71, J. Balasabas 69-72, C. Casas 67-74; 142—C. Hong 74-68, A. Sinfuego 73-69, C. Delos Santos 72-70, P. Echavez 71-71, R. Ardimer 71-71.