American Blake Snyder hits his approach shot on No. 15

American Blake Snyder and Filipino Jay Bayron both rallied at the front to fire a 68 and 71, respectively, and shared the provisional lead at six-under 138 in a weather delayed second round of the $100,000 Aboitiz Invitational at Wack Wack’s East course yesterday.

Nicolas Paez, also of the US, birdied No. 12 coming out of a two-hour long delay due to lightning and stood at seven-under overall with three holes to go when play was stopped due to darkness.

Paez, who strung up three birdies from No. 3 to tie Snyder and Bayron, moved ahead with a birdie on the 12th. He parred the next two for a running four-under card before organizers called off play due to darkness.

Those stranded will finish their games at 6:30 a.m. today (Friday) with the top 50 plus ties moving to the last 36 holes of the event put up by Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. and sponsored by ICTSI with the Asian Development Tour and Pilipinas Golf Tournaments as co-organizers.

Despite the suspension of play, Paez, Snyder and Bayron loomed as the three bets to dispute the crown and the top $17,500 purse as the next best player lay six strokes off Paez although no lead is big on a tough course as the fabled WW East.

Thai Rattanon Wannasrichan birdied two of the last six holes to shoot a 71 for a 143 while Swede Malcolm Kokocinski and Indonesian George Gandranata matched par 72s for the second straight day for 144s in a tie with Aussie David Gleeson, who carded a 71 and American Micah Shin, who also shot a pair of 72s.

Zanieboy Gialon had a one-under card after 15 holes for running even par.

Jay Bayron comes up with a bailout shot on No. 15

Thai Suradit Yongcharoenchai stumbled with a 73 for a 145 in a tie with Jobim Carlos, who hobbled with a 75 with Arnold Villacencio at three over with six holes to play in the event backed by Custom Clubmakers, adidas, KZG, Summit Mineral Water, Srixon, Pacsports, TaylorMade, Sharp and Champion.

Tony Lascuña, a pre-tournament favorite with four victories on the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour and winner of this event in 2014 at Riviera, bounced back from an opening 76 with a 70 to join the 146 scorers, who included two-time winner Elmer Salvador, who fumbled with a 74, South African Mathiam Keyser and Chris Akers of Australia, who both shot 71s, and Dodge Kemmer of the US, who also turned in an even par 72. Thai Pijit Petchkasem had a two-over card with six holes to go.

Frankie Miñoza, winner of the last PGT event in Negros where he edged Rio-bound Miguel Tabuena in a record five-hole playoff, also made a 72 but stood too far behind at 147 in a tie with Manila Southwoods ADT winner Gavin Green of Malaysia, who also shot a 72, and Marvin Dumandan, who turned in an impressive 69 Wednesday but skied to a 78 yesterday.

Earlier, Snyder hit birdies with pinpoint accuracy in a strong frontside rally, carding a four-under 68 and catching Bayron at the helm.

Snyder, 24, and Bayron rattled off three birdies in varying fashions on their homeward trip at the front with the former stringing three straight from No. 3 to complete a 33-35 card and the latter birdying Nos. 2, 4 and 7 to rebound from a 38 start at the back and save a 71.

“Funny thing about those three birdies, I hit them exactly at practically the same spot. On the 3^rd and 4^th, my second shots were from 120 yards and landed 6 feet off the cup. On the 5^th, third shot was 120 yards too and the ball rested about 2 feet away,” said Snyder, who earlier birdied Nos. 11 and 14 to negate his bogey on the par-5 13th.

While the tight, hazard-laden layout continued to bedevil the games of majority of the field, Snyder said liked the course and expressed confidence over his chances for the top $17,500 purse.

Nicolas Paez of the US hacks his second shot from under tree on No. 5 en route to a third straight birdie feat

“I just love the tight fairways and carabao grass,” said the American, who scored his maiden ADT win in Malaysia last year. “I grew up in courses like this when I started playing in my early years. I hope to whack it out good and be a winner on Saturday.”

Bayron, who bucked tough playing condition and fired a 67 to seize a two-stroke lead in the first round Wednesday, appeared headed for an early foldup with two bogeys for a 38 at the back. But the veteran Davaoeño shotmaker, who ruled the inaugural staging of the $100,000 event in Cebu in 2011, struck back and gunned down three birdies to save a 71.

“That was a great comeback for me. I was looking for a spark and thankfully, it came just in time,” said Bayron, referring to his second straight birdie on No. 2 before adding two more on Nos. 4 and 7. “I can build on this good finish for the third round tomorrow (today).”