NEGROS OCCIDENTAL — Jhonnel Ababa weathered a late stumble to fire a five-under 65 and share the opening-round lead with Art Arbole as the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic got off to a frenetic start Monday at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club here.

Ababa was looked poised for an even more spectacular finish until his wayward drive on the closing par-5 18th put him in trouble. The ensuing miscue led to a bogey, denying the former Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit winner a chance to cap a near-flawless round.

Still, the 65 put the Davaoeño ace squarely in contention in a tournament that immediately produced a packed leaderboard and set the stage for what could be a tight and unpredictable finish over the next three rounds.

For Ababa, however, the numbers on the leaderboard were only part of the story.

He is trying to rediscover the form that once made him one of the circuit’s most consistent winners while adjusting to an increasingly competitive Philippine professional golf landscape, where rising young players and seasoned campaigners continue to push the established names.

“I'm just staying focused on the game and on my kids, and just enjoying playing even through personal struggles," said Ababa, who chose not to elaborate.

What he did on the course, though, spoke loudly enough.

After missing the cut in the season-opening leg at Lakewood, Ababa steadily worked his way back into contention, posting Top 10 finishes in three of the next four legs, including a joint sixth-place effort at Pradera Verde. He arrived here fresh from another joint 10th-place finish at Summit Point two weeks ago, gradually rebuilding the confidence that had eluded him early in the season.

He wasted little time making his move Monday, birdieing his first two holes before adding three more birdies on the front nine for a sizzling start.

The momentum cooled on the inward nine, where he managed just one birdie on No. 14 before giving that stroke back with the closing bogey.

Even so, the 65 was enough to put him at the top of a leaderboard that quickly became crowded.

The adjustment from the wide-open layout at Summit Point to the shorter but tighter Marapara course was crucial, and Ababa said accuracy off the tee and with the irons became a premium.

“Driving here just needs to be straight and accurate, along with the irons. That’s all I adjusted here,” he said.

The course also demanded restraint.

“There are holes where you can attack, and there are others where you just have to lay up — course management is key here as well,” Ababa added.

His final-hole adventure provided a costly reminder.

“My drive blew past the fairway on No. 17 and my second shot hit a tree, leading to a bogey,” he said, referring to the hole that played as the closing par-5 No. 18.

If Ababa's round was defined by control before a late lapse, Arbole's five-under card was a combination of recovery, aggression and a timely dose of fortune.

Arbole produced the day’s first 65, anchored by an eagle on the par-4 No. 4 that sparked a superb 32-33 round.

“This is a friendly course and it’s in good condition, especially the greens. I was also quite lucky because my driving, second shots, and putting all clicked, which allowed me to score a 65,” he said.