BACOLOD – Zanieboy Gialon went on an early birdie-binge for a six-under 29 en route to a 65, spoiling what could’ve been another Jobim Carlos-Kim Joo Hyung early face-off by storming to a three-stroke lead over Carlos in the second round of the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club here yesterday.

Carlos and Kim, who had dueled for two of the three titles in the Mindanao swing of the Philippine Golf Tour last month where Gialon missed the cut in all stops, took the 1-2 posts at the close of their morning stint in another sweltering day, only to yield the spotlight in the face of Gialon’s sizzling start that netted him the lead at 132.

Also removed from the leaderboard were erstwhile joint leaders Gerald Rosales (74), Keanu Jahns (74) and Jay Bayron (75), enabling Gialon, Carlos and Kim to take the top three spots halfway through the P3.5 million event sponsored by ICTSI.

Gialon, who snapped a run of poor plays in Mindanao with a joint 11th finish in the Bacolod Golf Challenge at Binitin last week, rattled off six birdies in the first nine holes to move four-up over Carlos with nine holes to play. Though he slowed down at the back with three bogeys against two birdies, the Davaoeño ace kept his spot on top with an eight-under overall, moving 36 holes away from ending a year-long title spell in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

“My putting clicked early on. I just hope to sustain it in the last two rounds,” said Gialon, who birdied the first two holes inside six feet, strung up three straight from No. 4 then drilled in a side-hiller from eight feet on the ninth.

But Carlos, Kim and at least three others gained from Gialon’s backside slide with the Apo leg winner birdying three of the last four holes at the front to fire a 67 for a 135.

Carlos actually played through pain (back and neck) in the first seven holes at the back but recovered after taking some pain reliever, sinking birdies from four feet on No. 6 and from 12 feet on the next before capping his fiery windup with another four-footer.

“I was stretching my body the whole day. It was hurting but still manageable,” said Carlos, aiming for a third victory in two months after scoring a breakthrough at PGT Asia Riviera last June.

Kim, who edged Carlos by one to nail his first pro win at Pueblo de Oro, actually recorded the first frontside 29 early in the day that spiked his 65, putting him back in the hunt at 136 after a fumbling 71 in his first foray at the tight, tree-lined, hazard-laden par-70 Marapara layout.

“I finally hit the putts that I should have made in the first round,” said Kim, who used his putter just 25 times after a 34-putt effort Wednesday.

The rest of the survivors in the top 40-plus cut at 144, however, stood far behind with Elmer Saban shooting a 67 to join Tony Lascuña, who carded a second 69, at 138, six strokes adrift, and 11 others, including Juvic Pagunsan and Clyde Mondilla, pooling identical 139s.

Pagunsan, who turned in a 69 in his return to the local circuit after a 20-month break, recovered from a three-over card at the back with an eagle on No. 2 and a birdie on the fifth. But the former Asian Tour No. 1’s even-par output could only put in joint sixth with Mondilla, who also rallied at the front with a 31 for a 66.

Other 139 scorers were unfancied Dino Villanueva, who came through with a 67, Michael Bibat and Anthony Fernando, who both shot 69s, and PGT Asia Forest Hills leg winner Jhonnel Ababa, Ramil Bisera, Albin Engino, Arnold Villacencio and Pete Vilairatana of the US, who all matched par 70s, and Elmer Salvador, who fumbled with a 72.

Rosales, who spiked opening 66 with an eagle-2 on No. 5, bogeyed four of the first eight holes at the front while Jahns dropped three strokes in a birdie-less start at the back as they both limped with 74s to slip to joint 17th at 140. Bayron also made three bogeys at the back and hobbled with a 75 to fall to 23rd at 141, now nine strokes off the lead.

Forty three players advanced to the final two rounds in the second of four-leg Visayan swing with Spain’s Salvador Paya Villa (70), Rolando Marabe Jr. (72), Erwin Arcillas (73) and Paul Echavez (74) barely making it through. Among those who failed to advance in the event backed by BDO, KZG, Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Sharp, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and PLDT were Mhard Fernando (73-145), Orlan Sumcad (74-145), Charles Hong (74-146), Robert Pactolerin (73-146), Rufino Bayron (75-147), American Lexus Keoninh (74-147) and Mars Pucay (76-148).