Mondilla pulls away with 63

LAUREL, Batangas, Philippines — Clyde Mondilla used a near-impeccable all-around game to produce a nine-under 63 as he posted a huge seven-stroke lead over Tony Lascuña after 36 holes of the ICTSI Splendido Taal Championship here yesterday.

An eagle-birdie backside start drove Mondilla past Miguel Tabuena. Then the former Philippine Open champion bucked a mishap on No. 12 with another birdie on the 17th to stay at the helm, adding six more birdies for a 30-33.

“It was near-perfect,” was how Mondilla described his round.

Rupert Zaragosa’s 64 posted in the 2015 Splendido Classic, however, remained as the course record since play in this P2 million event put up by ICTSI is held under winter rules.

With a whopping 14-under 130 aggregate, Mondilla moved two rounds away from pocketing the top P360,000 purse in the third leg of this year’s Philippine Golf Tour.

But the big lead comes with the big pressure and Mondilla, who used a 2-iron off the mound and a seven-iron from 170 yards to eagle the 534-yard No. 10 from seven feet in one of the late flights, vows to deliver with a stronger performance in the last two days.

“Actually, I feel the pressure more now that I’m in control. I would’ve preferred to be the one in pursuit,” said Mondilla.

Meanwhile, Sunshine Baraquiel hit a clutch birdie on No. 15 to save a second straight 71 while Chanelle Avaricio hobbled with closing bogeys for a 73 in the second round of the ICTSI Splendido Taal Challenge.

That enabled Baraquiel to snatch a one-stroke lead at 142, moving 18 holes away from nailing her second career victory after scoring a breakthrough under wicked conditions at Tagaytay Highlands last November.

Avaricio finished with a 38-35 and a 143 in a tie with amateur Mafy Singson.