Barr takes ICTSI second round lead

Scott Barr broke away with a two-stroke lead over fellow Australian Ryan Bulloch after he shot a four-under 68 at the halfway point of the ICTSI Orchard Golf Championship at the Orchard’s Palmer Course in Dasmarinas, Cavite yesterday.

Weather improved a bit and Barr, along with those who got stranded in the rain-delayed first round Wednesday, returned early morning and birdied two of the last five holes at the back for a 66.

Barr, out to atone for his so-so 38th place finish in last week’s Aboitiz Invitational Presented by ICTSI in Cebu, sustained his charge in second-round play, birdying three of the first eight holes then adding two more at the front against a lone bogey for a 68 and a 36-hole haul of 134.

That was two shots ahead of Bulloch, who also had a miserable showing in the first of two Asian Development Tour legs in the country at joint 50th but made two solid rounds of 69-67 to be in early contention at 136.

British golfer George Thacker, who finished 53rd and last in Cebu, also stayed on course for redemption and in the hunt for the top $10,465 purse with a seven-under 137 after a 71.

Tony Lascuna, who kept the foreign bets in sight with a brilliant 32 at the back to complete his first round of 67, struggled in his second round stint, making a double-bogey on No. 13 and then dropping a stroke for the second straight day on the first hole.