CEBUANO golfer Lloyd Jefferson Go surprised the rest of the talented field as his four-under par 67 kept him just a shot off Dutch golfer Guido Van de Valk’s 66 after the first round of the P1 million ICTSI Rancho Palos Verdes Classic in Davao, yesterday.
His being a rookie did little to shake the confidence of Go, one of the pillars of the Cebu Country Club’s championship win during the PAL Interclub earlier this ear, as he went six-under in a solid stint after 13 holes but fell back with a double-bogey on No. 14.
The spotlight though, remained on the Dutchman who hit three birdies at the back then rattled off back-to-back birdies to resume his bid at the front before going six-under with another birdie on the par-4 No. 7.
Still, the race for the crown remains a wide-open one with Jay Bayron, Anthony Fernando and Dante Becierra leading the local bets’ charge with 68s in a tie with Michael Bibat, the former Asian Games bronze medalist long due for a breakthrough victory in the circuit sponsored by ICTSI.
Bayron, who grew up at Apo Golf like majority of the country’s leading players, leaned on two long birdie putts on Nos. 12 and 14 to put himself in early contention for a second victory after nipping Miguel Tabuena in a playoff to capture the ICTSI John Hay Championship crown last April.
Fernando, the former amateur champion, also made a strong start of four birdies against one bogey while Bibat missed joining Go at second with a bogey on No. 9. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio