Tagaytay—Toru Nakajima took command with a gutsy 70 in blustery conditions, wresting a two-stroke lead over erstwhile leader U Minn Woon and four others, including amateurs Gab Manotoc and Russell Bautista, halfway through the Philippine Golf Tour Q-School at Splendido Taal here yesterday.
Nakajima, the 2013 PGT winner at Wack Wack who placed runner-up to Angelo Que in his last Tour stint at Anvaya Cove in 2017, used a hot backside start to recover from an opening 73, birdying the par-5 Nos. 10 and 11 then picking up another stroke on No. 3 while bucking the strong winds. He, however, fumbled with a bogey on No. 5 for a 36-34.
But he seized the solo lead at 143, towing 50 others to the final two rounds of the 72-hole elims offering 35 cards for this year’s PGT beginning with the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic on March 15-18.
It was the comebacking Elmer Salvador, however, who made the biggest jump as the 2009 Order of Merit winner rattled off four birdies in a five-hole stretch from No. 2 on his way home to match Woon’s best 69 Tuesday. From the brink with an opening 80, Salvador, who also birdied Nos. 16 and 17 against a double-bogey on No. 18 and a bogey on the first hole, moved to joint ninth at 149 with Josh Jorge, who carded a 75.
Woon, who opened with a two-shot lead over Nilo Salahog, actually tried to pull away with birdies on Nos. 2 and 6. But just when thought he had the firm and dry Splendido layout all figured out, he lost his rhythm and touch in high winds, bogeying Nos. 8 and 9, yielding more strokes on Nos. 12 and 14 and dropping two shots on the par-3 No. 17.
The 28-year-old Malaysian, who vied at home before competing here and will fly to Thailand next week, skied to a 76 and fell into a tie for second at 145 with Manotoc, Bautista, Salahog and Korean Hyun Ho Rho.
Manotoc, a former SEA Games national team member, rebounded from a 74 with a 71, anchoring his fightback with a closing frontside 35 marked by three birdies against two bogeys, while Bautista bucked a two-bogey mishap at the front with three straight birdies from No. 10.
But the 22-year-old bidder from Mactan, Cebu wavered with two bogeys against a birdie in the last five holes to settle for a 72.
Rho, who turned pro in Europe last year but who now calls Mount Malarayat his home, mixed two birdies with the same number of bogeys for a 72 while Salahog stumbled with four bogeys against two birdies and limped with a 74.
Others who advanced in the elims organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. were Japanese Gen Nagai, winner of the Philippine Junior crown in 2014, who also matched par 72 for a 146, Hong Kong’s Michael Wong (73-148), and amateurs Jonas Magcalayo and Leandro Bagtas, who pooled identical 150s after 73 and 75, respectively, for joint 11th with Rene Menor and Carlos Packing, who shot 77 and 78, respectively.
Also in the hunt are amateur Kristoffer Arevalo (74-152), Ferdie Aunzo (77-152), Robert Pactolerin (77-152), Elee Bisera (73-153), Ivan Monsalve (75-153), Japanese Atsushi Ueda (76-153), Korean Lee Song (76-155), Rey Pagunsan (80-159) and amateur Coby Rolida (82-159).
Mark Alcazar and Mhark Fernando, who matched 82s, and amateur Christopher Popp, who carded an 81, tied for 49th at 161 but will need to go low to contend for the top 35 for Category 6 berths.
