MUNSON TIES RECORD, WRESTS LEAD BY 3

AMERICAN Brett Munson bucked the heat and matched Micah Shin’s record 64 in virtually the same fashion as he stormed ahead by three over a late-charging local pair of Juvic Pagunsan and Jhonnel Ababa halfway through the ICTSI Summit Point World 18 Challenge in Lipa City on Thursday.

As erstwhile leader Shin turned 64, also in bogey-free fashion, in the $100,000 event closing out the third season of the circuit put up by ICTSI.

Holder of a record four- title romp in row in the PGT in June and August and winner of PGT Asia Riviera last March, Pagunsan came out smoking after a mediocre opening 71, hitting three birdies at the back then scorching the frontside with five birdies, highlighted by four straight from No. 2.

He had looked forward to capping his big charge with a birdie on the par-5 ninth but his last putt from four feet lipped t h e cup. H e reluc- tantly tapped in for par then threw the ball into the big pond guarding the ninth and 18th holes.

Ababa, recalling the form that made him the winningest player on Asia’s emerging circuit with four victories, used solid iron play to get back into contention, coming through with nine birdies, the longest from 13 feet, to negate a couple of missed green bogeys.

“Despite my two miscues, everything went well,” said Ababa, the only back-to-back PGTA winner at Eagle Ridge and Pradera Verde and the first to retain a PGTA crown at Pradera.

Aussie Damien Jordan checked

with a birdie on the ninth to card a 67 and catch Keanu Jahns, who shot a 69, at fourth at 136 while Tony Lascuña also made his move with a solid 67 to join Englishman George Twyman, who rallied with

Bayron actually missed joining Pagunsan and Ababa at second with two bogeys in the last three holes, finishing with an eagleaided 69 while defending champion Joenard Rates recovered from a disastrous three-bogey miscue after eight holes with a run of birdies, saving a 70 to join a big group of 138 scorers at eighth, including American Sam Gillis (70), reigning Philippine Open champion Clyde Mondilla (71), Thai Kammalas Namuangruk ( 70), Japanese Yuta Sudo ( 69) and Shin, who after a spotless 64 Wednesday, hobbled with two double bogeys and three bogeys

Fifty- one out of the

starting

Inc. and backed by PLDT Enterprise, Meralco, BDO and PGT Asia

They include Thai Puk Pradittan (71), Laos’ Bebe Bouahom (74), Mhark Fernando (69), Japanese Rio Mori (76), Teodoro Osabel