GOLF

Manotoc sizzles with 66, gains early lead

DT · Oct 21, 2026, 2:54 AM

GAB Manotoc takes it easy after firing a six-under 66 to forge a share of lead in the opening round of the ICTSI South Pacific Classic in Davao City on Tuesday. — Photograph courtesy of PGT

DAVAO CITY — Gab Manotoc finally delivered the kind of opening-round performance that could propel him into the Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) spotlight, firing a bogey-free six-under 66 Tuesday to catch Japan’s Kashihara Hirotaka at the top in the ICTSI South Pacific Classic at the South Pacific Golf Club here.

Long seeking to establish his own identity on the circuit while stepping out of the shadow of his illustrious father, Tommy Manotoc, Gab produced a timely surge on the front nine, rattling off five birdies to turn a modest start into a course-record-tying round.

Hirotaka, meanwhile, capitalized on virtually windless conditions during his early start, catching fire on the front nine before negotiating a few rough patches on the way home to reach six-under first. Manotoc faced tougher conditions in the afternoon heat but stayed composed, finishing without a bogey to match the Japanese veteran’s output.

The pair’s opening-round scores equaled the course record from the gold tees, previously set by Rico Depilo, Tony Lascuña and Clyde Mondilla in earlier PGT tournaments. Amateur Chris Remata holds the outright benchmark with a 64 in last year’s Mindanao Amateur Open.

Manotoc credited his disciplined play and improved putting surfaces for helping him capitalize on his scoring opportunities.

“My game was pretty good today. I had no bogeys and six birdies. I left myself in good positions on the greens and trusted my lines,” said Manotoc, whose best finish in four years on the PGT is a tie for fifth at Valley Golf in 2023.

“The greens have improved compared with previous years. It’s not necessarily easier, but there are more makeable pars, and I was fortunate to find good spots and hole some putts,” he added.

The 28-year-old has been consistent enough to make the cut in all eight of his previous starts this season, but a tie for 12th in Negros Occidental remained his best result entering the ninth leg of the circuit. He also finished runner-up to Angelo Que in a playoff in a separate professional tournament at Pradera Verde.