NEGROS OCCIDENTAL — Dino Villanueva rode a blistering frontside performance to overcome a shaky windup and seize control with a five-under 65 in the first 18 holes of the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club here on Tuesday.

Coming off a hole-in-one feat to cap his campaign in last week’s Bacolod Challenge, Villanueva looked unstoppable out of the gates, torching the Marapara layout with a jaw-dropping 28 on the front nine — a run highlighted by four straight birdies from No. 5 and a pitch-in eagle on the ninth under overcast skies and amid tricky course conditions.

What was expected to be a grinding survival round on the tight, hazard-laden par-70 course turned into a showcase of poise and precision, at least for the first half, as the 13-year pro in search of a breakthrough Philippine Golf Tour victory played near-flawless golf, hitting fairways and sticking approaches close to set up remarkable putts.

“I just played to the fairways and greens, then tried to get my putts close — but they were dropping,” said Villanueva, referring to his simple yet effective game plan that paid off big early on.

But Villanueva bogeyed the dogleg par-4 11th after a missed fairway and an eight-foot par-save that failed to drop, then yielded another stroke on No. 17 after missing the green.

Worse, on the closing par-5 hole — a potential momentum-builder for Round 2 — Villanueva muffed a four-foot birdie chance, settling for par and a bittersweet 65 that could have been even lower.

“It was actually a tough putt, a downhill one, and I muffed my putt,” he said, visibly disappointed with the late slip but nonetheless pleased to be in early contention in the P2-million championship, which serves as the sixth leg of the 10-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

“This is my best start,” added Villanueva, who had two second place finishes, the last in 2023 at Mimosa Plus. “But I struggled a bit on the back nine — the pin placements were tough, and there were tee shots that really got me into trouble.”

He hit an aggressive drive on the par-4 ninth followed by a perfectly struck 80-yard wedge that took a single bounce before diving straight into the cup for an eagle, igniting applause and disbelief from those watching.

Despite his faltering finish, the 65 stood tall on a day where only 19 players broke par, a testament to the challenge posed by the tight, rain-softened course even with the implementation of “lift, clean, and place” rule — a rule meant to ease play but one that also underlines the soggy, heavy conditions that drain players of distance and predictability.

Yet Villanueva thrived where others stumbled. He led by two over a tightly packed group at 67, headlined by red-hot Keanu Jahns, chasing a third straight title after dominant wins at Caliraya Springs and Bacolod.

Jahns birdied his last two holes to recover from a double bogey on No. 11, putting together a steady 33-34 card.

I had a slow start but birdied 7, 8 and 9 — that stretch got me going,” said Jahns, reflecting on his roller-coaster round.

“But I had another slow start at the back and double-bogeyed the 11th. Sayang, but I was able to birdie the last two holes.”

Jahns highlighted a key moment on the 17th, where he drained a 28-foot birdie putt after hooking his drive and recovering brilliantly with a superb 6-iron from 150 yards out, despite a semi-stymied lie.

As for his game plan for the next three rounds, he kept it simple: “More of the same. If I can hit more fairways and the putter stays hot.”

Reymon Jaraula also shot 67, nearly matching Villanueva’s frontside fireworks with a 30 before stumbling with two bogeys at the backside. Michael Bibat, seeking redemption after a rough Bacolod outing, carded five birdies against two bogeys for his share of second. He closed with a flourish, birdying two of his last four holes.

Meanwhile, Jaraula was quick off the blocks with four birdies in his first five holes, bouncing back from a title defense that fell short in Bacolod.

“It’s difficult, the fairways are soft and wet and the greens are harder here compared to Binitin,” he noted, referencing the course conditions.

He dropped a stroke on the 12th after driving into a hazard, which he described as “a good bogey,” and conceded another shot on the 18th after mishitting his second shot and failing to get up-and-down. Despite the late stumble, he remained upbeat.