The local front roared into contention as Tony Lascuna and Elmer Salvador canned two late birdies to end up with similar scores of two-under par 69s, and catch Australians Scott Barr and Unho Park at the top after yesterday’s first round of the Aboitiz Invitational presented by ICTSI at the Cebu Country Club in Banilad.
Lascuna, who posted two wins and a runner-up finish in the local tour this season, birdied hole No. 8 while Salvador rolled in a birdie putt on the 18th to move into contention in the $65,000 event.
Barr, qualifier in the tough US Open, started with a 33 but fell prey to bogeys on the back nine and finished with a 36. Park on the other hand, had an incredible eagle on the par-5 16th to throw his hat in the pool of talented contenders vying for the top cash prize of $11,375.
The quartet though, has a strong and hungry pack chasing them just one shot behind including Clyde Mondilla, Cebuano Charles Hong, Richard Sinfuego and Japanese Masaru Takahashi who carded 70s, on a hot but windy day.
Two-time defending champion, Jay Bayron, started off right with 33 but had a disastrous end with three bogeys against a single birdie on the back nine and wound up with an even par 71.
Jerson Balasabas actually held the lead with an eagle-spiked four-under card after 11 holes of brilliant shotmaking over a course stretched to a par-71 after No. 11 was adjusted to a par 5. But the former national team mainstay saw his lead fizzle in the next four including a double-bogey on No. 13, and wound up with a 72.
Mars Pucay, winner at ICTSI Iloilo Challenge two weeks ago, bogeyed two of the last three holes at the front and hobbed with a 73 to drop into a tie with Ferdie Aunzo, Marvin Dumandan, Randy Garalde, Ruben Sasutil, Orlan Sumcad, Peter Villaber and pro-am winner Glenn Joyner, also of Australia.