LUBAO, Pampanga — Keanu Jahns continued his hot form at Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club, firing a second straight four-under-par 68 to take a commanding three-shot lead halfway through the ICTSI Pradera Verde Championship on Wednesday.

Not even a late-afternoon downpour, accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms that forced a one-hour suspension of play, could slow the long-hitting Fil-German. Jahns calmly returned to the course and closed with four straight pars for a pair of 34s and a 36-hole total of eight-under 136.

“My ball-striking was much better today. I hit more greens, made the same number of putts and cut my bogeys down to just one after making three in the opening round,” Jahns said.

He credited his length off the tee but said his success has been built on a balanced approach.

“Power is a big advantage here because the course is wide and suits longer hitters. I play smart-aggressive, and it fits my game,” he said.

Fresh off his stirring finish in Tuesday’s opening round, Jahns carried that momentum into another polished performance, birdieing four of his first 12 holes after starting on the back nine. Despite the sweltering heat, slick greens and difficult pin placements, he remained composed, recovering from his lone bogey on No. 4 with a birdie on the next hole before grinding out four consecutive pars after play resumed.

Tony Lascuña relied on his sharp short game and steady putting to offset his lack of length, carding a 71 to move into solo second at 139, three strokes behind Jahns.

“The course is very tough, especially with the pin placements and the greens. But I’m still in the fight. I’m hoping to stay within striking distance tomorrow and give myself a chance on Friday,” Lascuña said in Filipino.

The veteran highlighted his round with five birdies, including three in a row starting at No. 9.

Michael Bibat slipped into a tie for third with first-round co-leader Russell Bautista after a 73. Bibat matched Jahns with birdies on Nos. 10 and 12 but gave the shots back with bogeys on Nos. 15 and 18. A birdie on No. 1 briefly revived his round before a costly double bogey on the ninth dropped him to 140.

Bautista also struggled with a one-over-par 73 to join Bibat at four-under.

Fresh from his dominant Pinewoods victory, Lloyd Go bounced back from an opening 72 with a 69 highlighted by a blistering back-nine 32 despite a bogey on No. 2. He shared fifth at 141 with Ira Alido, Albin Engino, Gab Manotoc, Collin Wheeler and defending Pradera Verde-Pinatubo champion Angelo Que.

Another first-round co-leader, Zanieboy Gialon, tumbled after a 74 that included a double bogey on the par-3 eighth, falling into the group at three-under overall.

A total of 42 players made the cut at six-over-par 150, including James Ryan Lam (75), John Michael Uy (76), Jobim Carlos (78) and amateur Jed Dy (75).

Despite the absence of the strong winds that usually define Pradera Verde, the Arayat course once again proved to be a stern test. After yielding 18 under-par rounds on opening day, it tightened considerably in the second round, with only 13 players finishing below par as its bunkers, firm fairways and slick greens demanded precision from tee to green.

Although Jahns holds a comfortable lead entering the final 36 holes of the P2-million championship, he knows the job is far from finished.

“I missed a few short putts, but they were more misreads than bad strokes. The greens are a little tricky to read,” he said.

More than another title, Jahns is chasing redemption after narrowly missing out at Caliraya Springs and finishing tied for 28th at Pinewoods.

“I’m always motivated. I love competing, so I’ll just take it one shot at a time and hope for the best,” he said.