Nakajima grabs PGT Q-school lead, Woon fades in blustery conditions

TORU NAKAJIMA carded a 70 in blustery conditions to command the field with a two-stroke edge over erstwhile leader U Minn Woon and four others— including amateurs Gab Manotoc and Russell Bautista—halfway through the Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) Q-school at Splendido Taal in Tagaytay City on Wednesday.

Nakajima, PGT winner in 2013 at Wack Wack and 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 with birdies in the par-five Nos. 10 and 11 then picked up another stroke at No. 3 while bucking the strong winds.

He fumbled with a bogey on No. 5 for a 36-34 but seized the solo lead at 143, towing 50 others to the final two rounds of the 72-hole eliminations offering 35 cards for this year’s PGT beginning with the International Container Terminal Services Inc. Negros Occidental Classic from March 15 to 18.

It was the returning 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 twoshot 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 competed 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 Southeast Asian 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 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.