Hot-starting Carlos paces Masters

MANILA, Philippines - Jobim Carlos made a blazing start but wavered coming home, carding a four-under 68 for a one-stroke lead over American Nicolas Paez and Nathan Park of Australia in the rain-hit ICTSI Philippine Masters at the Villamor Golf Club yesterday.

Another local bet, Marvin Dumandan, produced six birdies but stumbled with two bogeys and a double-bogey to settle for 70 and a share of fourth with Fil-German Keanu Jahns and Japanese Genki Okada and Seiji Yanagisawa while Tony Lascuña led eight others with 71 as the field struggled on soggy fairways due to overnight rains.

Carlos rattled off four straight birdies from No. 6 coming out of a rain delay for a tournament-best opening 30. But the former amateur hotshot sputtered at the back and fumbled with bogeys on Nos. 11, 15 and 16 before birdying the par-5 closing hole to save a 38 and a 68.

“I had a fantastic start. I got to spots where I wanted and the greens were soft after the rain in the mid-morning,” said Carlos.

Despite playing under preferred lie, only 15 subpar rounds were submitted in the day as the field found the old layout tougher due to the heavy downpour.

Paez hit an odd eagle on No. 2 then closed out with three birdies in the last six holes to negate a bogey-bogey mishap from No. 12 for that 69, while Park blew a four-under card at the front with bogeys on Nos. 11 and 13 and needed to birdie the 18th to stay in joint second in the P2 million event sponsored by ICTSI.

Paez heeded his caddy’s advice to gun down that eagle on the par-5 11th, which used to be the course’s No. 2, then fought back from back-to-back bogeys from No. 12 with three birdies in the last six holes at the back, including a 25-footer on the ninth, for a 33-36.

“My caddy actually suggested it,” said Paez of his eagle feat where he used a wedge off the tee to 60 yards, hacked a driver from 278 yards to within eight feet off the cup and made the putt. “I thought it could be done. When I hit it, I knew it would be a great shot.”

Lascuña also found the course tougher, hitting just three birdies while dropping two strokes on the par-4 15th when he drove into the trees, falling to joint eighth at 71 with Elmer Salvador, Paul Echavez, Albin Engino, Francis Morilla and Japanese Joichiro Kawada.

Cassius Casas, the last winner of this fabled event in 2000, had a one birdie-one bogey round to lead the even par scorers, including former champion Robert Pactolerin, Rufino Bayron, Mhark Fernando, Zanieboy Gialon, Rolando Marabe Jr., Joenard Rates, Nilo Salahog, Joseph Suarez, Korean Kang Chon Coo, Eric Gallardo and Dino Villanueva.

Clyde Mondilla, a pre-tournament favorite after beating absentee Miguel Tabuena and Lascuña by one at Southwoods last week, never recovered from a double-bogey start on No. 10 although he came up with back-to-back birdies from No. 14 and bounced back from a bogey mishap on No. 18 with a birdie on No. 2 to join the big group of even par scorers.

Ten others carded 73s, including Paul Harris of the US and Anthony Fernando, while nine more shot 74s, led by rookie pro Ira Alido and Gerald Rosales, all hoping to rebound in the next three days of the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and backed by backed by BDO, KZG, Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Sharp, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and PLDT.