TARLAC—Canadian Lindsay Renolds, needing no less than a victory to salvage an Asian Tour card next year, launched his title bid in grand fashion – a bogey-free six-under 66 that put him one stroke ahead of a charging Miguel Tabuena, Korean rising star Jeunghun Wang and two others at the start of the weather-shortened Philippine Open presented by ICTSI here yesterday.
Despite playing longer than its 7,045-yardage, the Luisita Golf and Country Club layout took a severe beating from the men of the tour under the lift, clean and place rule with 52 breaking par and 15 others turning in even par cards in the $300,000 event serving as the final leg of this year’s Asian Tour.
The Phuket-based Canadian gunned down three birdies at the back where he teed off then added three more birdies at the front for a 33-33 he spiked with three scrambling pars on Nos. 1, 2 and 6.
Tabuena, who shot a 22-under card in ruling the Central Azucarera de Tarlac Open here last September, shrugged off an opening bogey mishap on No. 1 with a cluster of birdies – six in a 12-hole stretch from No. 5 – and put himself in early contention for the championship with a 35-32 card in the event sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and sanctioned by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.
The 21-year-old local circuit’s reigning Order of Merit winner, battling slight fever earlier in the week, preserved his spot at joint second by scrambling for pars in the last two holes.
“I can’t complain with my score considering my condition. I’m feeling much better which is good. I was very lucky play was called off yesterday because I got an extra rest day. I made most out of it,” said Tabuena. “I left a couple out of birdie putts so hopefully I can hole more putts tomorrow (today).”
Wang, who will represent Team Asia in the EurAsia Cup next year, also shot six birdies but had one bogey on the par-5 No. 12 to settle for a tie with Tabuena, Chinnarat Phadungsil of Thailand and five-time Asian Tour winner Gaganjeet Bhullar of India.
Juvic Pagunsan also lived up to the hype as the 2011 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner fired a four-under 68 in his very first stint at Luisita to join the early charge of the local aces in the 54-hole event sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, Smart, PLDT, FIBR, Metro Pacific Investment Corp. (MPIC), Amon Trading, Central Azucarera de Tarlac and Ayala Land, Inc. with San Miguel Corp., Suntrust Properties and Sta. Lucia as hole sponsors.
Like Tabuena, Pagunsan kicked off his bid with a bogey on No. 10 but the smooth-swinging shotmaker, who dominated the Asian Development Tour field to win the Aboitiz Invitational at Manila Southwoods by eight last August, also bounced back with three straight bogeys from No. 12, added another on No. 16 before closing out with back-to-back birdies at the front to negate a bogey-birdie-bogey roll from No. 3.
“It was tough because it was my first time playing here,” said Pagunsan. “It was difficult to find the breaks on the greens. I didn’t play a practice round this week. I struggled a bit but my game is in good shape. I’m happy with the result. I really had to fight for my score.”
Johnrey Pactolerin, nephew of former Phl Open champion and many-time Phl Masters winner Robert Pactolerin, charged back with four birdies at the back to join Pagunsan at sixth along with Korean Giwhan Kim, former champion Mardan Mamat of Singapore and Englishman Simon Griffiths.
Seven players, including Aussie Scott Barr, Korean Seukhyun Baek and Ireland’s Niall Turner, fired three-under 69s while Jhonnel Ababa, Clyde Mondilla and Nilo Salahog carded identical 70s to lead 18 others at joint 18th and Aussie Marcus Both, who won by two at Wack Wack last year, struggled with an even par 72 for joint 51st.
Other Filipinos in early contention are Charles Hong, a former winner here, who shot a 71; Orlan Sumcad, Tony Lascuña, Cassius Casas, Artemio Murakami and Keanu Jahns matched par 72s; while Michael Bibat, Arnold Villacencio, Elmer Salvador, Randy Garalde, Michael Alejandro and Frankie Minoza, who blew a two-under card with three straight bogeys from No. 15, turned in similar 73s.
Renolds, ranked 95th on the Order of Merit, is on a do-or-die mission to save his Asian Tour card for next year. The Canadian needs nothing less than a victory this week to break into the top-63 on the Order of Merit to retain his Tour card for 2016.
“It is a case of winning or going back to Qualifying School for me this week. I got nothing to lose this week. I’m trying to stay motivated and focused,” said the 29-year-old Renolds.
Renolds was lucky to play a practice round at the Luisita course as officials closed the course on Wednesday and Thursday due to heavy rain that marred the staging of the event.
“It is always an advantage seeing the course at least once. I played a quick 18 holes on Tuesday but it was very wet. I was just trying to get the round over with because I didn’t have an umbrella!” said Renolds.
The 20-year-old Wang opened his account with six birdies against one bogey as he seeks a first Asian Tour win and repay the faith in Jeev Milkha Singh of India who selected the Korean as a Captain’s pick to represent Team Asia in the EurAsia Cup.
“The course is wet so it is playing long. I holed some long birdies putts which was nice. I only played nine holes (back nine) during the practice round. I was so afraid when I played on the front nine especially on the last hole where I missed a short birdie putt,” said Wang.