Argentine storms ahead

LUISITA – Argentina’s Franco Scorzato signed for eight birdies in a six-under-par 66 on a humid Thursday to seize a one-shot lead over Japan’s Naoki Sekito and Taiwanese Su Ching-Hung at the halfway mark of the $100,000 BingoPlus Philippine ADT Open at a Luisita layout here.

Scorzato had two bogeys for the second straight round, but that still wasn’t enough to stop the 23-year-old from grabbing control at 134 even as Sean Ramos was left as the best-placed Filipino running five shots behind after a 71, with Angelo Que another shot back in an eight-man group that also has local bets Rupert Zaragosa and amateur Shinichi Suzuki.

With some experience playing in the PGA’s Latino American circuit, Scorzato takes a lot of momentum into the veritable moving day as he tries to establish a more comfortable buffer against a chasing pack made up of eight players who are within four shots of his lead.

Macao’s Kelvin Si submitted a 70 to be at 136, with the United States’ Brent Ito assembling a 67 to catch Australia’s Darcy Brereton and Thailand’s Suttinon Panyo at 137.