ABABA, CARLOS SET EARLY CAT OPEN PACE

TARLAC: Jhonnel Ababa fired a bogeyfree 68 while Jobim Carlos birdied four of the last seven holes to share the clubhouse lead at the start of the $100,000 CAT (Central Azucarera de Tarlac) Open at the Luisita Golf and Country Club here on Tuesday.

Ababa bucked shaky putting to turn in another superb Philippine Golf Tour Asia outing, banging in a pair of birdies from short range on both nines, including on the tough No. 17, while Carlos, the new PGT Order of Merit winner, turned what had appeared to be a wobbly stint halfway through with a strong finish as they took charge in the morning group with half of the 106-player starting field still to complete play at press time.

Michael Bibat also toted a four-under card after 12 holes but bogeyed the next and settled for a 69 in a tie with American Tarik Can, one of the invited players from other regional tours, and former leg winner Rene Menor while Jun Bernis eagled the par-5 12th to share provisional seventh place at 70 with Keanu Jahns, Efren Robles Jr. and Nilo Salahog.

“I struggled a bit on the greens, missing at least four makeable birdie putts,” said Ababa, who actually considers himself lucky on PGT Asia where he won three titles, including back-to-back romps at Riviera and Pradera Verde to close out the inaugural season of the region’s newest circuit last January. He also dominated this year’s fourth leg at Forest Hills last July.

But crowding him at the top is Carlos, whose breakthrough victory at PGT Asia Riviera last June sparked a run of solid finishes on the PGT, including two victories and a couple of runner-up finishes to emerge the top player after the 10-leg local version of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Carlos scrambled for three pars in the first six holes, birdied the seventh but went on a bogey-birdiebogey roll from No. 9 before coming through with birdies on Nos. 12, 14 and 15 before drilling in a 12-foot birdie putt on the last to tie Ababa.

Americans Andy Kang, Pete Vilairatana and Seungjae Maeng, Teemu Putkonen of Finland, Japanese Yuta Sudo and local bets Gerald Rosales and Rico Depilo all shot 71s as 16 players broke par in hot condition at the par-72 hazard-laden Robert Trent Jones Sr.- designed course in the absence of the wind.

The course yielded 24 sub-par rounds in benign condition in the first round of last week’s ICTSI Luisita Invitational where Clyde Mondilla et a new course record of 64 on his way to snapping a long title spell with a two-stroke victory over Aussie Tim Stewart and Peter Stojanovski of Macedonia.

Aidric Chan, last week’s low amateur, set out for another honors as he matched par 72 for joint 17th with India’s Vikkash Babu, Issei Mori of Japan, Lexus Keoninh of the US and Dino Villanueva as defending champion Justin Quiban fumbled with a 73 marred by a double-bogey mishap on No. 12.