Japanese fires 66 wearing a bowtie
‘I hit all fairways, reached all greens and made five birdies against one bogey. The most important thing on this course is the tee shot.’
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‘I hit all fairways, reached all greens and made five birdies against one bogey. The most important thing on this course is the tee shot.’
ILOILO — Playing 18 holes in a bowtie under the sweltering heat of an exacting golf course is hardly the ideal recipe for a breakthrough.
Yet Miki Ryoma did just that Wednesday, firing a near-flawless 66 to seize a one-shot lead halfway through the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge at the Iloilo Golf and Country Club.
The 35-year-old Japanese kept his cool in conditions that tested patience and precision, matching the aggressive charge of the local aces before pulling ahead with a six-under 134, one stroke ahead of first-round leader Jhonnel Ababa.
“I hit all fairways, reached all greens and made five birdies against one bogey,” said Ryoma, whose performance underscored the key to surviving the par-70 layout: “The most important thing on this course is the tee shot.”
His round was all the more impressive with the heat replacing the stiff winds of the opening round. Tough pin placements, tight fairways, thick rough and slick greens continued to punish even the slightest lapse.
Ryoma, however, trusted his long game, pulling driver 10 times and consistently putting himself in position to attack.
“I didn’t play steady in the first round but hit it solid today. But you really have to be in the fairway to get a chance to make birdies,” said Ryoma, whose closest brush with a Philippine Golf Tour title came in his rookie campaign in 2016, when he lost to Tony Lascuña by one stroke at Eagle Ridge.
Ababa slipped to second at 135 after a 68, surrendering the lead after a bogey on the first hole and a stretch of eight straight pars.
“Sobrang hirap ng course at sobrang init. Hindi mo talaga masasabi kung gaganda ang score mo sa isang araw,” said Ababa, referring to the challenge posed by the P2.5-million championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.
Ira Alido made the biggest move of the day, firing a 65 to charge into contention at 136, tied with Reymon Jaraula and Clyde Mondilla.
Jaraula and Mondilla both stumbled late. Jaraula suffered a double bogey on No. 13 but recovered with a birdie on the 17th for a 68, while Mondilla followed four birdies on the front nine with two late bogeys for another 68.
Art Arbole, fresh from ending a 14-year wait for a PGT title in Negros Occidental last week, shot a 67 to move to 137, three shots off the pace. He was joined by Francis Morilla and Rupert Zaragosa.
Kristoffer Arevalo led the 138 scorers with a 67, alongside James Ryan Lam, Jeffren Lumbo and Justin Quiban.
But the day belonged to Ryoma, who admitted he did not even know he had taken the outright lead.
“I didn’t know I’m in the top during the round, so I didn’t feel any pressure. I just wanted to play good on this course,” he said.
Then there was the bowtie.
“I really don’t like wearing it. I’m not comfortable,” Ryoma said, revealing that his wife insists he wear it every round and tournament.
The bowtie may have been his wife’s idea.
The 66 was all Ryoma.
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