Peter Stojanovski

CARMONA, Cavite – Peter Stojanovski of Macedonia came out of a near three-hour long weather delay with a cluster of birdies at the back late in the day and matched Tony Lascuña course record-equaling 10-under 62 in morning play as they took a one-shot lead over American Lexus Keoninh at the start of the ICTSI Manila Southwoods Championship at the Legends course here yesterday.

Stojanovski, who has had a number of mediocre finishes on the Philippine Golf Tour, sizzled early with five birdies in the first eight holes but stumbled with a bogey on the ninth before play was stopped due to lightning, enabling Lascuña and Keoninh to take the 1-2 post with one-third of the 110-player starting field still to complete play.

But the stoppage failed to slow down Stojanovski, who resumed his birdie-binge on Nos. 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 and 18 to close out with a 30 and a 62 that earned him a share of first round honors in the $60,000 event sponsored by ICTSI.

Lascuña earlier put on a dazzling show of iron play and putting and produced the first 62 that tied American John Michael O’Toole’s feat in this same tournament last year where no local player finished no better than 13th, leading the assault on the bunker-laden course that lay defenseless in the absence of the wind.

Flashing superb touch off the bunkers, Tony Lascuña birdied No. 8 en route to a course record-tying 62.

Keoninh raced ahead of the pack with a 63 that also featured 10 birdies against a bogey until Lascuña confidently rolled in two long putts on Nos. 17 and 18 to cap a brilliant bogey-free 31-31 card that shoved him past the American in the early going of the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

“I just couldn’t do anything wrong with my irons. It seemed that every shot I took would land on the same, near spot where I wanted. And I made the birdie chances,” said Lascuña, who gunned down five birdies on each side inside six feet, except on No. 3 where he chipped in from about 20 feet.

Thirty eight others broke par as the elite field tamed the layout’s last line of defense with superb putting with obscure Nilo Salahog firing a 64 for solo fourth, Jobim Carlos shooting a 65 for fifth and Elmer Salvador leading a six-player group at sixth with 66s. They include American Nicolas Paez, Aussie Nathan Park and locals Orlan Sumcad and Zanieboy Gialon.

Even amateur Ryan Monsalve joined the birdie-spree, hitting four straight from No. 12 then spiking his impressive start with an eagle-3 on No. 8 to crowd the six-under scorers.

Miguel Tabuena, back in the hunt after skipping last week’s Orchard Championship following a stirring come-from-behind playoff victory over South African Mathiam Keyser, missed joining the 66 scorers with a bogey on the par-3 16th, settling for a 67 in a tie with Albin Engino, Japanese Hirotaro Naito, Gerald Rosales and Clyde Mondilla at 12th.

American Lexus Keoninh’s hot 63 start could only land him at second spot.

Also a pre-tournament favorite after finishing second at Orchard, Mondilla rattled off seven birdies to negate a two-bogey mishap while the long-hitting Rey Pagunsan blew a tournament-best 30 start with bogeys on Nos. 14 and 17 and dropped to joint 18th with Charles Hong, Edward Reyes, Frankie Miñoza, Mhark Fernando and rookie pro Ira Alido with 68s.

Five shot 69s, including Jhonnel Ababa, while seven carded 70s, including Dutch Guido Van der Valk and Jay Bayron, and another seven churned out identical 71s in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and backed by ICTSI, BDO, KZG, Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Sharp, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and PLDT.

Despite his 62, Lascuña said he could’ve reset the record if not for his flubbed birdie tries on Nos. 4 (seven feet) and 13 (four feet).

Still, he remains upbeat of sustaining his hot start all the way to the finish.

“I think this will be the trend till Saturday. Hopefully, I can continue this run,” said Lascuña, winner at Manila Masters last month, who closed out with a 12-footer on No. 17 and a 16-footer on the last.