Song in tune, takes lead
Davao City — Lee Song fired a bogey-free 65, highlighted by an eagle and a string of birdies, to seize the solo lead in the ICTSI South Pacific Classic on Wednesday, edging Gab Manotoc by one stroke at South Pacific Golf Club.
Song carded a 34-31 for a 12-under-par 132 total, bouncing back from a costly double bogey on the 18th in the opening round. Manotoc shot a 67 for 133, while Sean Ramos stayed in contention with a 66 for 134.
With 36 holes remaining in the P2.5-million championship, the leaderboard remained tightly packed, setting up a wide-open battle for the title.
Clyde Mondilla carded a 69 for 136, while Fidel Concepcion shot a 68 for 137. Angelo Que bounced back with a 66 to join Guido van der Valk, Reymon Jaraula and Keanu Jahns, who matched 67s, amateur Jacob Rolida (71) and Russell Bautista (72) at 139.
Song began his charge on the back nine, eagling the par-5 12th before stringing together three consecutive birdies from No. 15. He pulled level with Ramos at 10-under before adding birdies on Nos. 2 and 7 to take command.
“I don’t think about the lead. I just play my game,” said Song, a former Philippine Golf Tour Q-School topnotcher. “I just hit it safely off the tee and hit my irons onto the greens. I took advantage of some birdie opportunities and made my pars, avoiding bogeys.”
The 36-year-old remained unfazed about the pressure of the final two rounds.
“No pressure. I don’t think about that. I just focus on my game,” he said.
Song has made the cut in all eight legs of the current PGT season, with a tie for eighth at Pinewoods his best finish so far.
Manotoc, meanwhile, extended his bogey-free run to 36 holes. After opening with a share of the lead, he picked up three birdies on the back nine to briefly seize the solo lead at 11-under before Song completed his round.
“It was kind of similar, limiting my mistakes,” Manotoc said, describing his second-round effort.
“I think I played a little better today although I came a stroke short compared to yesterday. But two days, it’s pretty solid,” he added.
Manotoc credited his putting for helping him post his lowest two-round score, despite not striking the ball as well as he wanted.
“For sure, this is the lowest I’ve gone for two rounds — not the best ball-striking, but the best score. I think putting really stands out,” he said.
The performance has boosted his confidence, but Manotoc knows the challenge is far from over.
“It’s nice to score this good, for sure the confidence is there, but it’s a new day tomorrow. I’ll just continue what I’m doing,” he said.
Ramos also stayed within striking distance, producing a bogey-free round despite a demanding international schedule. Fresh from a breakthrough Asian Development Tour victory and an appearance on the Asian Tour in Macau last week, he continued to show that he could compete despite the rigors of constant travel.
“The travel can be tiring, especially with the constant movement from one country to another, but I’m still managing,” Ramos said.
Adjusting to varying green speeds has been his biggest challenge.
“Getting used to the speed of the greens on each course is the most difficult part, but I’m learning to adapt and cope with the challenges,” he added.
With favorable scoring conditions prevailing for a second straight day, tougher pin placements and faster greens are expected to test players over the final 36 holes.
Song has seized the momentum, but with Manotoc just one stroke behind and Ramos leading the chasing pack, the race remains wide open in the ninth leg of the PGT organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.