Sick, sharp, unstoppable: Bucay’s 67

All the chatter about Apo Golf and Country Club’s punishing layout was silenced on Wednesday, when Perry Josef Bucay stormed back to the clubhouse with a sensational five-under-par 67 in the Philippine Amateur Championship in Davao City.

Even more remarkable, the 22-year-old La Salle sophomore pulled off the feat while battling illness — having spent the night before the tournament confined to bed with a high fever. He had flown into Davao Monday afternoon, squeezed in just nine practice holes, then crashed into bed, burning up with fever and uncertainty.

Yet come tee time, Bucay shook off the fever, the fatigue, and the pressure — delivering one of the boldest and most composed rounds of the day.

He stumbled out of the gate with a bogey, but never looked back. Bucay credited his veteran caddie, Sonny Tabalin, for steering him through every twist, turn, and hidden trap of the notoriously tricky layout.

The turning point came early. On the daunting second hole — one of Apo’s nastiest tests — Bucay stuck a laser-precise approach that landed just inches from the cup.

“He was coming off a bogey. He needed that,” Tabalin said in Filipino, a grin of relief on his face.

Bucay calmly tapped in for birdie — the shortest of his six on the day, and perhaps the spark that ignited his charge.

Bucay’s putter was red-hot all day, turning birdie chances into near gimmes — “like picking apples,” as one observer put it.

“I’ve got to credit my putting and wedges,” said Bucay, who dreams of one day wearing the national colors.

Only two others managed to break par — Santino Laurel and Bobe Salahog.

Laurel, fresh off graduation from La Salle, birdied three of the four par-5s en route to a solid 70.

Like Bucay, his best friend, Laurel is also a first-timer at Apo.

“It’s just a matter of putting your ball in the right position,” he said.

Salahog, meanwhile, rebounded from back-to-back bogeys with a clutch birdie on the final hole to card a 71.

Thirteen-year-old Apollo Batican led the charge of the junior standouts with an impressive 72, matched by Jacob Rolida.

Alexander Bisera, playing on familiar turf, posted a 73 — two strokes ahead of AJ Wacan, Vito Seranes, and veteran Don Breganza.

Oliver Gan, president of the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines, delivered one of the day’s biggest shockers, carding a gritty 77 to put himself firmly in contention for one of 16 coveted spots in the knockout stage.

“I couldn’t believe I did that — I was cramping toward the end,” Gan said, still catching his breath after his gutsy round.

In the women’s division, the battle for eight match play slots heated up, with Precious Zaragosa and Johanna Blair Uyking grabbing the early lead with matching 75s.

Pre-tournament favorites and twin sisters Mona and Lisa Sarines faltered slightly, posting 77 and 78, respectively, while Nicole Gan, Crista Minoza and Athena Batican stayed in the hunt with 79s.

The stroke play phase wraps up Thursday, before the drama shifts to head-to-head match play on Friday.

The leaders after the first round: Men’s — Perry Josef Bucay 67, Juan Santino Laurel 70, Bobe Salahog 71, Jacob Rolida 72, Apollo Batican 72, Alexander Bisera 73, AJ Wacan 75, Vito Sarines 75, Don Breganza 75, Oliver Gan 77, Romer Beran 78, Adrian Bisera 78, Zianbeau Thurs Edoc 78, Harvey Sytiongsa 79, Joel Yamyamin 79, Vincent Gumapac 79, Miguel Fusilero 79, Alexis Gabriel Nailga 79.

Women’s — Precious Zaragosa 75, Johanna Blair Uying 75, Mona Sarines 77, Lisa Sarines 78, Nicole Gan 79, Crista Minoza 79, Athena Batican 79, Merry Rose Wacan 82, Jordan Paige Ouano 84, Juliane Gaerlan 86, Chloe Ang 87, Kimberly Shane Barroquillo 88.