THE TANDEM of Ferdie Aunzo and Monchit Mackay sizzled on the back nine to log in a two-under 70 and take the early lead over three teams at the start of the P1 million Davao National Pro-Am Presented by Samsung and Emcor in Davao City yesterday.
Starting out on No. 10, Aunzo, who honed his talent and skills at the Apo layout, and Mackay bucked a bogey on the par-5 14th with birdies on Nos. 15, 16 and 18 before settling for an even 36 at the front for that 70 in the alternate-shot format event.
Jhonnel Ababa, another homegrown pro, matched par 72 in his team-up with Benjie Leparto as they forged a three-way tie for second with the Paul Minoza-Francis Morilla and Albin Engino-Edsel Tan tandems in the 54-hole tournament.
Tony Lascuna and Elmer Salvador, the top two fancied pros in the 107-team field, struggled with over par scores and will need to rebound in the last two rounds to get a crack at the top P172,000 purse.
Salvador, winner of two legs on the local circuit, including the Aboitiz Invitational in Cebu last month, failed to get his game going with partner Ryan Gotan and wound up with a 77 from nines of 38-39 while Lascuna, the local tour’s current Order of Merit leader, never recovered from a bogey-bogey start at the back with Den-Den Castro, hobbling with a 78 from rounds of 38-40. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio