Lipa City, Batangas—Dino Villanueva went on a birdie-spree at the back early and sustained his charge all the way to the finish, producing a six-under 66 and gaining solo control by four with half of the field still to complete play halfway through the Summit Point World 18 Challenge here yesterday.
The 34-year-old journeyman from Cagayan de Oro ran off four straight birdies from No. 10 to keep the momentum of his lead-sharing 67 fashioned out in harsh conditions in afternoon play Wednesday. He traded two birdies with the same number of bogeys in the next eight holes then capped his 34-32 card with birdies in the last two par-5s in near-ideal conditions at the Summit Point Golf Club.
With erstwhile co-leaders Erwin Arcilla and Thai Sutijet Kooratanapisan among the late starters, Villanueva took the clubhouse lead with an impressive 11-under 133 aggregate with Janne Kaske of Finland matching the Filipino leader’s six-under card to seize the provisional second spot at 137.
“Nothing special but hit my wedge shots pretty solid,” said Villanueva, who moved 36 holes away from finally nailing the elusive win in an 11-year pro career.
“But I need to toughen up in the last two days to clinch it. A victory will really make our Christmas happy,” added Villanueva, whose solid wedge shots set up birdie putts inside four feet in the first four holes. He banged in another on No. 16, then overcame a bogey-bogey mishap linking both nines with birdies on Nos. 2 and 5 before tapping in on the ninth after missing an eagle-putt from 20 feet off a 4-iron shot from 239 yards.
Like Villanueva, Kaske brandished a new putter and pressed his bid early with a long 25-foot eagle putt on No. 3 off a 6-iron second shot from 200 yards and three birdies against a bogey for a 32. He then birdied three of the last five holes to negate his other bogey on the 17th for a 32-34 card, putting him in title contention after missing the cut at PGT Asia Forest Hills.
“I changed my putter and it clicked. The wind picked up a bit at the back but I was able to hold on,” said the Helsinki native, who birdied the other four par-5s.
Jobim Carlos, two down at the start of the day with a 69, birdied two of the first three holes, also at the back, then survived a rollercoaster round of 70 that featured an eagle and four more birdies against four bogeys and a double bogey. The Philippine Golf Tour’s Order of Merit winner this year pooled a 139 for third but fell six strokes off Villanueva.
Taiwanese Wang Tsung Chieh charged back with three birdies in the last six holes at the front to shoot a 69, catching former PGT Asia leg winner Justin Quiban, carding a second 70, at 140, while Aussie Jack Sullivan, out to rebound from his final round collapse in the CAT Open at Luisita last week, fought back from an opening 74 with a 67 for a 141.
Keanu Jahns shot a second straight 71 for a 142 in a tie with American John Michael O’Toole and Taiwanese Yang Fei Hao, who turned in identical 70s, while Rolando Marabe Jr. rallied with a 68 to tie Ferdie Aunzo, who matched par 72, and Finland’s Teemu Putkonen, who bounced back with a 69, at 143.
A couple of fancied players, however, hobbled in morning play, including PGTA Forest Hills leg winner Jhonnel Ababa, who limped with three bogeys in the last six holes for a 75, and Michael Bibat, who double bogeyed No. 17 and bogeyed the last for a 74, for 146s.
The top 50 plus ties will advance to the final 36 holes of the $100,000 championship sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, inc. serving as the seventh of the second season of the region’s newest circuit with Villanueva moving closer to a dream victory after botching his bid in the ICTSI Players Championship also here last year.
After birdying the first four holes at the back, Villanueva banged in another on No. 16, then overcame a bogey-bogey mishap linking both nines with birdies on Nos. 2, 5 and 9 to firm up his lead.