Dasmariñas, Cavite—Aussie Damien Jordan made true his vow of putting up a solid card on a course that suits his game, firing an eagle-aided, bogey-free eight-under 64 to sneak past equally hot-starting Angelo Que, Ira Alido and Zanieboy Gialon at the start of the rich Aboitiz Invitational here yesterday.
Coming up short in last week’s rain-shortened Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational which he led in the first round, the power-hitting Jordan made the most of the preferred lies rule at the rain-softened Orchard’s Palmer course, producing six birdies and highlighting his flawless 31-33 card with an eagle on the par-5 No. 6.
“I’ve never had an opening round like this, so, it feels fantastic,” said Jordan, who hacked a solid 7-iron second shot from 169 yards to within 15 feet for eagle on the sixth. “The greens are soft but are rolling faster, which I think suits my game.”
He had earlier hinted at striking back this week after falling short in his first crack at victory in Cebu where he settled for third while downplaying Jhonnel Ababa and Korean Kim Joo Hyung’s 1-2 finish in the event reduced to 54 holes.
By backing up his words with a solid game, Jordan likewise put aside Que, Alido and Gialon’s brilliant starts, along with the rest of 43 players who broke par at the par-72 layout, which also lay defenseless in the absence of the wind.
Que actually made an early impact in his Philippine Golf Tour Asia return while the young Alido rebounded from a string of mediocre finishes down south as they shot identical 65s which Gialon matched in one of the late flights in the $100,000 championship serving as the fifth leg of the second season of the region’s newest circuit put up by ICTSI.
“I played well, I guess. I’m glad to have this kind of a round. It has been a while since I had this splendid start though I could’ve been at nine-under had I holed in an eagle from 15 feet on the sixth,” said Que, who came into the event sponsored by Aboitiz Equity Ventures without the benefit of a practice round. He also didn’t see action in Tuesday’s pro-am but still churned out a bogey-free 32-33 card.
Thais Wisut Artjanawat and Namchok Tantipokhakul and vintage Robert Pactolerin also stayed in the mix with 67s while Jobim Carlos and Tony Lascuña led the 68 scorers who included Ferdie Aunzo, James Ryan Lam, American Nicholas Coxon, Thai Pak Pradittan, Lee Sang of Canada and Korean Kim Joo Hyung in one of the most crowded leaderboards in a PGTA event.
Kim appeared headed to joining Que and company at second but stumbled with a double-bogey on the par-5 18th and tumbled to join eighth instead, four shots off Jordan.
Seven others shot 69s, including Clyde Mondilla, Rufino Bayron, Charles Hong, Richard Sinfuego, Keanu Jahns Korean Kim Dae Won and American Jacob Fleck, while CFdC Invitational winner Jhonnel Ababa, also the PGTA Forest Hills champion last July, rallied with four birdies in the last 13 holes to save a 70 and join the group of Art Arbole, Erwin Arcillas, Jerson Balasabas, Jun Bernis, two-time champion Jay Bayron, Marvin Dumandan, Mhark Fernando, Aussie Tim Stewart, Peter Stojanovski of Macedonia and Americans Pete Vilairatana and Cory Oride.
Que, who last saw action at PGTA Southwoods where he tied for 10th last June before resuming his campaign in the lucrative Japan PGA Tour, marked his comeback in style, stringing seven birdies in ideal conditions while flashing an impeccable touch around the greens that saw him rescue pars in four times that he went out of regulation.
Alido, who missed the cut in the Negros and Iloilo legs of the PGT last month and hobbled to joint 33rd in last week’s PGT Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational, hit two birdies more than Que but dropped two strokes on the par-4 No. 3 on a errant drive and a three-putt miscue to settle for joint lead with one of the fancied players in the elite international field.
“My game was on. My shots in the last two days in Cebu were pretty solid and those showed again today (yesterday). I kind of settled down and was able to hit more solid shots,” said Alido, who also matched Que’s four scrambling pars as the duo led the attack on the par-72 layout, which lay defenseless in the absence of the wind.
A total of 43 players broke par, including most of the pre-tournament favorites in the 72-hole championship serving as the fifth leg of the second season of the region’s newest circuit put up by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Gialon also sizzled at the back with a solid 30 spiked by three straight birdies from No. 10 but the diminutive Davaoeño shotmaker, who last won at PGT Calatagan last year, fumbled with a double-bogey on the first hole but recovered with a birdie on the next before matching Jordan’s eagle on the sixth to join Que and Alido at second in the event backed by ICTSI, Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc.
