Song hits the right notes for lead

LAUREL, Batangas — Lee Song weathered punishing afternoon conditions and a shaky start before unleashing a clutch late charge, carding a hard-earned 73 to seize a two-stroke lead after 36 holes of the Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) Qualifying School on Wednesday at Splendido Taal Golf Club.

The Korean standout looked in trouble early, stumbling to a 39 on his opening nine highlighted by a costly double bogey. But he flipped the script on the frontside, birdying three of four holes from No. 3 to spark a gritty comeback. A bogey on No. 8 at dusk denied him a bigger finish, but his 34-39 card was enough to tighten his grip on the leaderboard at four-under 140.

“I didn’t start off too well, but I made some birdies on the front nine,” said Song, who remains composed heading into the final two rounds. “I don’t feel any pressure, but I need to stay focused.”

Song’s steady recovery contrasted sharply with Ivan Yabut’s struggles. The Fil-Am, who matched Song’s opening 67, faltered with a 75 as his putter went cold, dropping him to second at 142.

“I struck the ball very well today and missed just three greens, but I couldn’t make any birdies,” said Yabut, who blamed his woes on missed opportunities on the greens.

Enrico Gallardo stayed in the hunt despite a 73, holding solo third at 141, while Hyun Jun Youn surged into contention with the day’s best round of 69 to tie Yoshizawa Ichiru at 144.

The 18-year-old Hyun nearly vaulted into second place after a sizzling run of five birdies in his first 12 holes, including four straight from No. 9. But a costly double bogey on the final hole — after finding a greenside bunker with a difficult lie — dropped him back.

“I lost my focus on the final hole,” said Hyun, who remained firmly in the mix.

With two rounds left in the 72-hole eliminations, the battle for low medal honors — and the coveted Top 30 PGT cards — intensifies. A total of 63 players advanced past the cut at 155, setting the stage for a decisive finish in the final days of qualifying.