by Waylon Galvez
STA. ROSA, Laguna – Clyde Mondilla turned in a gutsy a one-under par 71 and tied Australian Jack Sullivan for the clubhouse lead in the first round of the 101st Solaire Philippine Open at The Country Club here.
Taking full advantage of an almost ideal condition early in the day, Mondilla, 25, fired three birdies against two bogeys to share the limelight with the Aussie in the $500,000 event.
Clyde Mondilla celebrates his birdie putt on the 13th hole during the first round of the Solaire Philippine Open at The Country Club in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. (MB photo | Czar Dancel)
“Mahirap talaga yung course, pero yung wind, meron pero hindi masyado,” said Mondilla, whose best finish in the Open was seventh overall back in 2015. “Tingin ko OK naman yung round ko, ok yung putting.”
Mondilla, who turned pro when he was 18 years old, said he hopes to improve his game and be more consistent with his shots.
“Sana lang magtuluy-tuloy. Wala naman akong babaguhin sa laro, ganun pa din pero more consistency lang. Sa ganitong kahirap na course sa lahat dapat consistent ka,” he added.
Mondilla’s birdies came on holes No. 3, 8 and 10, where he was putting for eagle from 12 feet but bungled it.
That was enough for the former Order of Merit winner to steady his game after bogeying No. 6 and 9.
Sullivan, who started his round at the back nine, had a double bogey on 11.
But the 16-year-old Sullivan recovered quickly with a birdies on 12, 14 and 17. Although he bogeyed on 1 and 3, his birdies on 4 and 5 enabled him to stay afloat.
One shot adrift were Justin Escalona Quiban, another local bet, and Ausie Damien Jordan, a leg winner in the Philippine Golf Tour Asia
Thais Wisut Artjanawat and Kittiporn Javanapong were a shot farther back at 73.
Last year’s champion Miguel Tabuena withdrew because of back injury.
Juvic Pagunsan, Angelo Que, and Jobim Carlos, the current PGT Order of Merit leader, have yet to complete their rounds.