MANOLO Fortich, Bukidnon – Young guns Ira Alido and Lee Song matched their outputs for the second straight day – a pair of 69s built around blistering starts on opposite nines that kept them at the helm halfway through the P3 million ICTSI Del Monte Championship here yesterday.

From the backside, Lee gunned down three birdies in the last five holes, added another on No. 5 from close range but missed grabbing the solo lead with a bogey on the par-4 No. 8 for a 36-33 card. Alido also hit three birdies in a solid frontside stint but unlike Lee, the rising Filipino star needed to birdie the last to negate a bogey on No. 17 and preserve a 33-36 round at the Del Monte Golf Club.

With 137s, Lee and Alido, who shot identical 68s Wednesday, stood a stroke ahead of new pursuer Nicolas Paez of the US, who highlighted his tournament-best 67 with an eagle on No. 14, and James Ryan Lam, who turned in a 69 for 138s while Tony Lascuña lay another shot back at 139 after a 68.

Alido actually blew a couple of eagle chances, including on No. 6 from 15 feet on a superb 4-iron second shot from 230 years and on the 18th from 30 feet out.

“I could’ve taken the lead had I made those eagles,” said Alido. “I failed to read clearly my lines of putt on those holes.”

But he’s unmistakably in the hunt for a crack at a maiden crown although with a slew of aces just a stroke or two adrift, the 17-year-old shotmaker will have a lot of toughening up to do in the last 36 holes to achieve a dream championship so early in his career.

Lee, in contrast, banked on his superb iron play to stay in joint command, sinking four birdies inside four feet against a missed green bogey on the eighth.

“I played relatively good, especially my short game and putting,” said the 19-year-old Lee, who will be as much tested as Alido in the featured threesome, with Lam, in the pivotal third round today.

Jobim Carlos likewise kept his back-to-back Philippine Golf Tour title drive going, firing a 69 to lead the 140 group that includes Michael Bibat, erstwhile joint leader Lexus Keoninh of the US, Dutch Guido Van der Valk and Korean Kim Joo Hyung.

Bibat, out to end a long title spell, bounced back from a bogey mishap on No. 4 with four birdies the rest of the way for a 69, Keoninh failed to sustain his eagle-spiked opening 68 with a 72, Van der Valk missed closing in on the leaders with two bogeys in the last three holes for a 71, and Kim overcame a two-over start with three birdies in the last six for a 71.

Carlos, whose backside blitz in the final round netted him a four-stroke victory at Apo last weekend, missed joining Lascuña at fifth with a late bogey on the par-3 seventh but remained upbeat of his chances for another crack at the top P550,000 purse in the 72-hole championship put up by ICTSI.

The top 44 made it to the final 36 holes of the fourth leg of the PGT with Magno Alarcon Jr. and Ebarra Quiachon, who carded identical 73s, and Jun Bernis, who stumbled with a 74, making the cut at 146.

Among those who failed to advance are former PGT Asia winner Rene Menor (73-147), Orlan Sumcad (77-148), Spaniard Salvador Paya Vila (76-148), Charles Hong (77-150), Gerald Rosales (77-150), Nilo Salahog (78-151) and Zanieboy Gialon (76-153).

Anthony Fernando also shot 69 for solo 11th at 141 while Clyde Mondilla nearly squandered an impressive 33 start with two bogeys and a birdie at the back for a 70. The reigning PGT Order of Merit champion safely made it through after a number of missed cut stints but at 142, just five strokes behind the joint leaders.

Other two-under scorers were Robert Pactolerin (71), Korean Kim Sung Wook (73), Englishman Joshua Greville-Wood (71), Reymon Jaraula (69) and Justin Quiban (71).

Jay Bayron, who ruled the PGT Asia at Southwoods recently, rebounded from a 74 with a 69 for a 143 while Frankie Miñoza, winner of this event in 2013, also bounced back from a 73 with a 71 for a 144 in the event backed BDO, KZG, Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Sharp, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and PLDT.