Crowded Pradera leaderboard

MANILA, Philippines — Carl Corpus returned to the Philippine Golf Tour with a flourish yesterday, carding a 5-under 67 to join Zanieboy Gialon and Russell Bautista in a three-way tie for the lead at the ICTSI Pradera Verde Championship in Lubao, Pampanga.

Corpus offset an early bogey with a birdie on No. 7 before catching fire on the back nine. He made six birdies over a seven-hole stretch, including five straight from No. 9, to post one of the day’s best scores. “I don’t think I did anything differently. The putts just dropped, and I’m fortunate they did,” said Corpus, who tied for 37th at Caliraya Springs and skipped last week’s Pinewoods leg.

Keanu Jahns and Tony Lascuña each shot 68 to sit one stroke back. Jahns made four birdies in his final seven holes, while Lascuña missed a chance to join the leaders after a bogey on No. 16.

Meanwhile, Harmie Constantino rallied late to shoot a 3-under 69 and share the first-round lead with Yvon Bisera in women’s play.

Bisera carded the day’s steadiest round, a 35-34 for 69, despite playing with a sprained left hand suffered last week. She broke a string of pars with birdies on Nos. 9, 11 and 14 to briefly move ahead before settling for a tie.

“I just played steady and didn’t try to force anything,” Bisera said