LAUREL, Batangas — Rey Pagunsan forged an early solid partnership with reigning national junior champion Aidric Chan as they combined for a two-under 70 to grab a two-stroke lead over siblings Daniella and Lanz Uy after the morning batch at the start of the Delimondo National Pro-Am at Splendido Taal Golf Club here yesterday.
The duo kicked off their bid on No. 16 in the first of two shotgun starts and overcame a double bogey on the 18th on a wild drive with three pairs of back-to-back birdies against another double bogey to seize early control with the dreaded Splendido wind hardly felt in morning play.
Rey Pagunsan (L) and Aidric Chan (R)
Still, the rest of the first half of the 107-team starting field groped at the rolling, hazard-laden layout with the brother-sister tandem of Daniella and Lanz, who birdied their opening hole on No. 7 then added another feat on No. 10, wavered at the finish, ending up with back-to-back bogeys from No. 4.
They missed joining the Pagunsan-Chua pair at the helm and slipped to provisional second at 72 with the tested pair of Tonton Asistio and Judson Eustaquio.