DAVAO CITY – Japanese Atsushi Ueda capitalized on an early tee time and near-ideal conditions to fire an impressive two-under-par 70, grabbing a one-stroke lead over five others in the ICTSI Apo Golf Classic here on Tuesday – a sizzling start that stood in stark contrast to the flat performances of the fancied local aces.
Playing in the day’s opening flight, Ueda – still riding high from a career-best third place finish at Del Monte – navigated the famously punishing layout with poise and precision. He carded five birdies to offset a bogey and a double bogey on the par-4 No. 15, where he hit a tree and found water.
Though he stumbled slightly on the par-3 fourth, his 70 was enough to pace the field and underscore his growing threat on the Philippine Golf Tour.
Tony Lascuña, a revered name here and on the Tour, had to dig deep after early miscues. But birdies on Nos. 14 and 18 helped him salvage a 73, keeping him within striking distance in the P3.5 million championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. at joint 12th with eight others.
Similarly, Jhonnel Ababa, last year’s playoff champion over Guido van der Valk at this very venue, never got going, limping to a four-over 74 after a wobbly 39 at the front, marred by four bogeys against a birdie. He made two more bogeys against a birdie in the first three holes at the back but a late eagle on the par-5 18th breathed life into what could’ve been a forgettable start.
While the top guns stumbled, several local dark horses emerged from the shadows. Elee Bisera relied on intimate course knowledge and mental grit to post a steady 71, recovering from an early-over card with two late birdies.
He was joined at one-under by a mixed pack that included fellow Davaoeño Zanieboy Gialon, Fidel Concepcion, James Ryan Lam and Arnold Villacencio, who all managed to navigate Apo’s relentless layout with enough savvy to stay within reach.
Villacencio even held the outright lead after going two-under through 11 holes, only to tumble after a costly double bogey on No. 14. He birdied the 18th to claw back to a tie for second – a fitting symbol of how swiftly fortunes can change at Apo.
Local talents Ramil Bisera and Elmer Salvador turned in even-par 72s to join van der Valk, Gerald Rosales and Nilo Salahog in a tie for seventh.
