Lam, Concepcion share Davao lead

DAVAO CITY — On a day of shifting fortunes and hard-earned gains, James Ryan Lam and Fidel Concepcion emerged tied atop the leaderboard midway through the P3.5-million ICTSI Apo Golf Classic, each carding a gritty two-under-par 70 at the demanding Apo Golf and Country Club on Wednesday.

In separate flights but mirroring each other’s consistency, Lam and Concepcion posted identical 141s after 36 holes — a rare return to the summit of the Philippine Golf Tour leaderboard for both.

Lam showed grit alongside veteran Elmer Salvador, stringing together three birdies against two bogeys, including one on the treacherous par-3 fourth. He scrambled well down the stretch, settling for a 36-34 card.

“It was a day-long grind,” said Lam, visibly drained. “You really need to strike the ball well here. I’m just lucky I kept my score together.”

Apo remains an unforgiving test — with narrow fairways, punishing roughs, and slick greens that challenge even the most seasoned players. Familiarity is no safety net.

Concepcion, plagued by three costly three-putts in the opening round, cleaned up his putting in Round 2.

“No three-putts today, so that’s a big plus. My birdie looks were closer, and I even holed a long one — about 25 to 30 steps — on No. 8.”

Despite the tough conditions, the Fil-Aussie isn’t changing tactics:

“No changes. I’ll just stick to my game and keep hitting solid shots. This course bites hard if you’re in the wrong spot.”

Trailing just one shot behind is Salvador, who leaned on decades of experience to fire his own 70 after a 72 opener, putting him at 142 and solo third.

“Used my experience to get the 70,” Salvador said in Filipino. “My driving was off, but I was inspired by Lam — he hits it so well.”

Just two strokes off the lead at 143 are five players: Tony Lascuña, Zanieboy Gialon, Elee Bisera, Nilo Salahog and Guido van der Valk.

Lascuña, eyeing a breakthrough after a long title drought, stayed bogey-free with a solid 70.

“My game clicked, but I still had many missed chances,” he said.

Bisera sparkled with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 13 and 14 but faded on the front with bogeys, finishing with a 72. Gialon had a rollercoaster round — overcoming a triple-bogey start with four birdies before a closing bogey left him at even-par 72.

Salahog and van der Valk both turned in steady 71s to stay within striking distance.

Defending champion Jhonnel Ababa, who edged van der Valk in a playoff last year, returned a 71 to tie Korea’s Jaehyun Jung (70) at 145 — just four shots off the pace.

With just four strokes separating first from ninth, and 40 players surviving the cut at 154 (+8), the stage is set for a dramatic and unpredictable finish.

Lam, chasing his first title since 2018 at Luisita, said the long wait has only fueled his hunger — but rest is key.

“Nothing different for tomorrow,” said Lam. “Just rest up, wake up fresh, and hopefully hit it better. That’s what it takes out here.”

At Apo, where patience is as vital as power, the leaderboard is in constant flux. A single lapse can send contenders tumbling.

Making the cut on the number (+8) were Tae Won Kim (74), Michael Bibat (75), Mars Pucay (75), Tom Marcelo (76), and Dan Cruz (78).

Notable names who missed the cut: Lloyd Go (79-153), junior standout Ralph Batican (75-154), and multi-titled Jay Bayron (73-155).

As the final two rounds loom, one thing’s clear: at Apo, nothing is guaranteed — and everything is still to play for.