Dumalaog off to hot Pueblo de Oro start

Playing on a course she calls home, Eliana Dumalaog fired a nine-over-par 81 to grab a one-shot lead over Rafella Batican and Isabella Espina at the start of the ICTSI Junior PGT Mindanao Series 4 at Pueblo de Oro in Cagayan de Oro.

Dumalaog had two of her three birdies on the front nine—her back side trip—as she shoots to finish off Batican and fellow club member Espina in the final round of the girls’ 8-10 division on Tuesday even as Ken Guillermo took charge in boys’ 10-12, and Del Monte leg winners Zero Plete and Ally Gaccion put up strong starts in girls’ 13-15 and 16-18 divisions, respectively.

Bid for two straight

Guillermo also sparkled with a two-birdie, one-bogey card for a 71, upstaging Ralph Batican, who fumbled with a double bogey on No. 1 following a bogey-less performance over 36 holes at Del Monte.

Batican fired a 73 to be two behind. Franco Qiu and Apo leg winner Jared Saban matched 79s, while Javie Bautista and Jose Francesco Lim put in 84 and 88, respectively.

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Plete dominated with a 79 for an imposing 13-stroke lead over Mikela Guillermo.

Gaccion, on the other hand, set in motion her bid for back-to-back victories in the girls’ premier division, set over 72 holes, after shooting a 74 for a 12-stroke lead over Crista Miñoza.