Green shoots 64, is new leader at Luisita; Ramos four behind
Galven Green just tried doing the basics in playing the tough Luisita layout on Friday and reaped the rewards for it.
“I just came out and played, not doing anything special. I was just finding fairways and greens,” Green said after shooting an eagle-spiked eight-under-par 64 that gave him a one-shot lead over Italy’s Michele Ortolani going into the last 18 holes of the $100,000 BingoPlus Philippine ADT Open.
“Fortunately, I made some putts,” said Green, who now has a 202 aggregate even as Sean Ramos remains to be the best-placed Filipino in the surviving field, just four shots behind Green after the 22-year-old fired a 67.
“I’m just going to go out there and do that best that I can do,” Green said when asked of his final round battle plan. “There’s a lot of golf to be played, still.”
Ortolani fired a 65, while Thomas Plumb, the Englishman who opened with a 64, rebounded from a 10-shot turnaround on Thursday with a 66 to vault back in the title hunt, just two shots off Green and one ahead of Franco Scorzato, the second round leader who returned a 71.
“I feel a little bit experienced now, being in contention in these events,” Ramos, who settled for a second place tie at the ADT Players Championship in Malaysia last month after losing out in a three-man playoff, said. “I’m just more excited and happy to be continuing.”
Ramos’ new short game coach, Angelo Que, kept a mathematical chance after firing a 69 to be seven shots adrift. He had told the Inquirer on Thursday that anything can happen in a tough course like Luisita.
“As long as you are out there playing, there’s that chance to win,” he had said.
Ortolani had eight birdies in a 65 to be in contention for a breakthrough ADT title.
Filipino amateur Shin Suzuki dropped out of the title chase after a second straight 72 as he is now 10 shots off, like Rupert Zaragosa, who also signed for a level-par card. Keanu Jahns and Clyde Mondilla are also at 212.
