Corpus wrests lead at Valley; Go, Bisera fire opening 72s in Taiwan
Very much comfortable over a tough course he calls home, rookie Carl Corpus on Wednesday had two eagles in a nine-hole stretch to carve out a seven-under-par 65 and zoom to a four-shot lead after 36 holes of the P2 million ICTSI Valley Golf Championship at the South course in Antipolo.
Starting from the back nine, the 24-year-old played it at level after his first seven holes before entering the zone, where he also had three of his five birdies as he enters the third round on Thursday with a 134 aggregate, pacing joint first round leader Clyde Mondilla and dark horse Arnold Villacencio by five shots.
“This course fits me. I’m also very familiar, very comfortable playing here,” Corpus said as he now has all the confidence and momentum in trying to wrap up a maiden tour win and erase the meltdown he had at Caliraya Springs last August, where he submitted a final round 73 to lose the overnight lead and finish fifth.
“I think everything’s going my way this week,” he said. “Hopefully, [it stays the same] in the next two days.”
Meanwhile, LK Go and Florence Bisera carried the fight for the 20-strong LPGT delegation in the Party Golfers Ladies Open in Taiwan, shooting level 72s to be just four shots back of local ace Ho-Yu An also on Wednesday.
Struggling in the cold
As chilly conditions befuddled the banner field, Go and Bisera returned roller-coaster rounds, even as Daniella Uy fired a 71, Princess Superal and Chanelle Avaricio 76s and Mafy Singson a 77, with all needing to go low to make weekend play in the roughly P9 million event.
Starting from No. 10, Bisera also had an up-and-down round. She turned what could’ve been an early momentum-builder—a promising approach on the par-5 11th—into a costly double bogey after topping a pitch shot from the fringe. She then had a bogey on the 13th that pushed her near the bottom of the 102-player field.
Mondilla slowed down considerably, shooting a 71 after firing a 67 on Tuesday, even as Villacencio fired a 67.
The 46-year-old Que struggled to a 73 and is now six shots back, and the drama in his chase for a first Order of Merit crown got bigger with Fidel Concepcion, the Apo Golf champion who has the only shot at dislodging him from No. 1, creeping within a shot after a 70.
Forty-five players advanced to the weekend at 150, including Luis Bagtas (74), Josh Jorge (75), Gerald Rosales (75), Gabriel Manotoc (75), Ivan Monsalve (76), Dan Cruz (76) and Junior PGT standout Alexis Nailga (73). Amateur Bobe Salahog carded a 73 but safely made the cut at 143, tied for 12th.
