Bayron takes charge with 67

Rufino Bayron fired a five-underpar 67 yesterday to post a one-stroke lead over Angelo Que and Tony Lascuña at the start of the R2- million ICTSI Splendido Classic in Tagaytay City.

Six others were two strokes off the lead as the opening salvo of the ICTSI golf circuit started in earnest at the Splendido Taal Golf Club.

Bayron, who settled for second behind his brother Jay after a dismal 79 on the final round in last year’s competition, fired six birdies against a lone bogey to keep top favorites Que and Lascuna at bay.

Que, a three-time Asian Tour winner, but on a long winless spell, also was hot at the back, hitting three birdies before ramming in back-to-back birdies from No. 1. He, however, failed to join Bayron at the helm when he bogeyed the seventh.

Lascuña, the reigning three-time Order of Merit champion, launched his bid for a fourth straight crown by drilling in four birdies in the first six holes in one of the late flights. He reeled back with a bogey on No. 10 but tied Bayron for a while with birdies on Nos. 11 and 13.

But Lascuna hit a wayward shot on the next and missed a six-footer for bogey and fell off the leaderboard although bounced back to join Que at second with a birdie on the 16th.

Jay Bayron also missed catching up with Que and Lascuna with a bogey on the par-5 18th but the defending champion still led a crack roster of pursuers at 69 that includes Elmer Salvador, Dante Becierra, Michael Bibat, Rico Depilo and Lee Hyun Woo.