TARLAC – Ailing Clyde Mondilla outslugged Peter Stojanovski in a virtual shootout of aces out to end a long slump on the Philippine Golf Tour, ramming in eight birdies for a bogey-free eight-64 and a one-stroke lead over the Macedonian and Jay Bayron at the start of the rich ICTSI Luisita Invitational here yesterday.

Paired with PGT Del Monte leg winner Nicolas Paez in one of the early groups, Mondilla and Stojanovski matched four birdies in calm condition at the turn with the Filipino ace sustaining his charge with three birdies in the first four holes at the back then capping his opening romp with a birdie for a pair of 32s.

“Honestly, I’m really surprised with my game. Imagine, I have a slight flu and nursing tonsillitis but still played a perfect game. Everything’s in place – irons, short game and putting,” said Mondilla, whose 64 bettered the previous best of 65 set by Aussie David Gleeson in ruling the PGT Asia’s ICTSI Luisita Championship here last April.

Stojanovski hit just one birdie and fell by two after No. 14 but regained his touch and birdied the next two, missing joining Mondilla at the helm with a flubbed birdie putt on the last hole for a 65 at the Luisita Golf and Country Club which took a beating from the men of the tour with 27 players breaking par in the absence of the wind.

That included Bayron, who bucked a late start with seven birdies in the first 15 holes to threaten Mondilla. But the PGT Asia winner at Southwoods lost his momentum and bogeyed the par-5 16th before recovering the stroke with a closing birdie to tie Stojanoski at second with a 33-32.

“I played a solid round, had no problem and it’s really fantastic,” said Stojanovski, still in search for a breakthrough win in three years on the local circuit.

Bayron later rued missing the chance to match Mondilla’s card or better it with that late bogey.

“I hit a bad drive then hit a tree on my second shot. I would’ve been the leader,” said Bayron birdied the last from 13 feet to tie Stojanovski. “It was practically windless so the scoring was good.”

A slew of others lurked behind with equally low scores at the quaint, hazard-laden layout, ready to pounce on the pacesetters, including Aussie Tim Stewart, who blew a stirring six-under backside start with a wobbly 38 finish for a 68 for joint fourth with Japanese Issei Mori, who put in a bogey 34-34 round, and Filipino Arnold Villacencio, who carded an eagle-spiked 36-32 effort.

Paez, reduced to a virtual spectator in the Mondilla-Stojanovski shootout, finished with a 69 for a share of seventh with Japanese Taisei Mochita and locals Nilo Salahog, Reymon Jaraula and Elmer Salvador while multi-titled Tony Lascuña, who like Mondilla is hard-pressed to avert a winless season, hit three birdies in the first 10 holes but slowed down and struggled in the last with two bogeys against a birdie and finished with a 70.

That dropped him to joint 12th that includes Jhonnel Ababa, winner of the last PGT leg in Cebu, Johvanie Abaño and veterans Rey Pagunsan, Richard Sinfuego and Gerald Rosales while Ferdie Aunzo, Phl Masters champion Jerson Balasabas, Michael Bibat, Zanieboy Gialon, Charles Hong, James Ryan Lam, Francis Morilla, Rene Menor, Lucio Osabel and amateur Rupert Zaragosa all carded 71s.

Jobim Carlos, who has secured this year’s OOM crown with two victories and a couple of runner-up finishes, rebounded with three birdies in a four-hole stretch after dropping two strokes on the par-5 No. 5. But bogeyed No. 15 and finished with a mediocre 72 to fall eight huge shots off Mondilla for joint 28th with 15 others.

But it was indeed a surprising start for Mondilla and Stojanovski in the final leg of the circuit put up by ICTSI. The duo had never figured in the title hunt in the first nine legs of the PGT with Mondilla’s 10th and Stojanovski’s joint 13th finishes at PGT Iloilo proving to be their best.

Mondilla, whose game went on a downswing after racking up four victories and winning the PGT Order of Merit crown last year, also missed the cut four times on PGT Asia while Stojanovski failed to advance once although he tied for third at Aboitiz Invitational where Mondilla ended up tied for sixth.

But with a pair of solid starts, things are looking up for the duo in the P4 million PGT finale organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc.