Aunzo holds off Rates, Saban, hikes lead to 2

Ferdie Aunzo.

Davao's Ferdie Aunzo shot a second straight 69 then watched Joenard Rates and fellow Dabawenyo Elmer Saban run out of holes in a remarkable frontside charge, stretching his overnight one-shot lead to two and moving 18 holes away from snapping a long title drought in the P2.5 million ICTSI Wack Wack Championship at WW's East course.
Aunzo recovered from a poor finish in the first round Wednesday and a shaky start at the back Thursday with three straight birdies from No. 14, negating his back-to-back bogey mishaps from No. 12. He gunned down three more birdies in the last 11 holes against a bogey on No. 6 for a second straight 69 and a 138.
He stood four shots ahead of his nearest pursuer until Rates came charging back from a two-over card with four straight birdies from No. 5 to salvage a second straight two-under 70.
Saban proved to be more impressive as the unfancied bet from talent-rich Davao came in the last flight toting the tournament’s lone bogey-free and best round of six-under 66, completing a fiery 31 at the front spiked by three straight birdies from No. 2.
With 140 totals, Saban and Rates, a pair of relatively unknown players from the chasing pack that includes Dabawenyo Cassius Casas, Bukidnon's Frankie Minoza, Davao's Jhonnel Ababa, Artemio Murakami, Dutch Guido Van der Valk and teener Miguel Tabuena, gained a first-ever crack at the championship which stakes one of the two richest purses in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Casas, winner of the Philippine Open here in 2001, fired a 70 for an even 144 in a tie with Marlon Dizon, who had a second straight 72, while six players, led by Minoza (73), Murakami (70) and Ababa (72), were a stroke farther back at 145s.
But no lead is safe at WW’s east although Aunzo hopes to use his experience against Rates and Saban in the unlikely troika making up the championship flight today.
When asked if he could finally nail the elusive win and bank the top P450,000 purse, Aunzo stressed the need to be consistent in anticipation of a big final round charge by his rivals and a tougher playing condition at WW.
“I just have to be consistent – hit the fairway and make it in regulation without attacking the green,” said Aunzo, who last won at Royal Northwoods in the kickoff leg of the 2009 circuit. “But I still cannot say if I can win here. I just want to play my game and be more confident with my putting.”
In shooting his second 69, he made 28 putts, including a 10-footer from the fringe for birdie on the par-3 16th, which he double-bogeyed in the first round.
Rates, son of former touring pro Joe who had just one top 10 finish in a campaign marred by five missed cuts, held his own against the tour’s long hitters, averting an impending fold-up with clutch birdies inside eight feet to become the chief contender for the top P450,000 purse in the event sponsored by sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
“I just stayed relaxed and had fun out there,” said the 31-year-old Rates.
Murakami, winner of the last tournament at BDO Canlubang, rebounded with a 70 as he joined Minoza, Ababa and four others in sixth, including Van der Valk (71), Rufino Bayron (71) and Dante Becierra (00).
Dabawenyo Elmer Salvador, just one behind Aunzo at the start of the round, never recovered from a three-bogey misfortune from No. 3, ending up with a 76 and tumbling to joint 12 with Randy Garalde (69), Charles Hong (72) and Tabuena (73) at 146.
Angelo Que, who reigned at WW in the 2008 Phl Open, struggled for the second straight day with a 77 for a 156 and missed the cut pegged at 152 in the closing tournament of the circuit backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.
Lloyd Go, a member of the national team in the last Putra Cup, took the low amateur honors with one round left as he emerged the lone survivor from the ranks with an impressive 71 for a 149 for joint 22nd.(pr)