Mondilla breaks slump with record 64, leads by 1

AILING CLYDE MONDILLA outslugged Peter Stojanovski in a virtual shootout of aces out to end a long slump on the Philippine Golf Tour, ramming in eight birdies for a bogeyfree eight-64 and a one-stroke lead over the Macedonian and Jay Bayron at the start of the rich ICTSI Luisita Invitational in Tarlac on Tuesday.

Paired with PGT Del Monte leg winner Nicolas Paez in one of the early groups, Mondilla and Stojanovski matched four birdies in calm condition at the turn with the Filipino ace sustaining his charge with three

back then capping his opening romp with a birdie for a pair of 32s.

“Honestly, I’m really surprised with my game. Imagine, I have a slight flu and nursing tonsillitis but still played a perfect game. Everything’s in place – irons, short game and putting,” said Mondilla, whose 64 bettered the previous best of 65 set by Aussie David Gleeson in ruling the PGT Asia’s ICTSI Luisita Championship here last April.

Stojanovski hit just one birdie and fell by two after No. 14 but regained his touch and birdied the next two, missing joining Mondilla at the helm with a

65 at the Luisita Golf and Country Club which took a beating from the men of the tour with 27 players breaking par in the absence of the wind.

That included Bayron, who bucked a late start with seven birdies in the

But the PGT Asia winner at Southwoods lost his momentum and bogeyed the par-5 16th before recovering the stroke with a closing birdie to tie Stojanoski at second with a 33-32.

“I played a solid round, had no problem and it’s really fantastic,” said Stojanovski, still in search for a breakthrough win in three years on the local circuit.

Bayron later rued missing the chance to match Mondilla’s card or better it with that late bogey.

“I hit a bad drive then hit a tree on my second shot. I would’ve been the leader,” said Bayron birdied the last from 13 feet to tie Stojanovski. “It was practically windless so the scoring was good.”

A slew of others lurked behind with equally low scores at the quaint, hazard-laden layout, ready to pounce on the pacesetters, including Aussie Tim Stewart, who blew a stirring sixunder backside start with a wobbly in the Mondilla-Stojanovski shoot- Phl Masters champion Jerson Balasabas, Michael Bibat, Zanieboy Gialon, Charles Hong, James Ryan Lam, Francis Morilla, Rene Menor, Lucio Osabel and amateur Rupert Zaragosa all carded 71s.

Jobim Carlos, who has secured this year’s OOM crown with two victories and

- ed with three birdies in a four-hole stretch after dropping two strokes on the par-5 No. 5. But bogeyed No. 15