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FRANKIE
Miñoza could not flash even a shadow of the winner in
2007 as he soared to a four-over-par 76 in the first
round of the 92nd Philippine Open.
And
Miñoza has a lot of making up to do in round two Friday
if he wants to make the cut.
Miñoza,
the proverbial favorite to win back to back here,
struggled all day with a double bogey, three bogeys and
one birdie. He avoided being interviewed by the media
after his terrible round.
As
Miñoza struggled,
Japan’s
Kodai Ichihara waxed hot and took Thursday’s spotlight.
Ichihara,
who has a penchant for short and tricky golf courses
because he is not a long hitter, was a perfect fit for
the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club’s tough East as he
shot a six-under-par 66 to lead by a stroke local bet
Benjie Magada.
A native
of Tokyo, Ichihara sank seven birdies, including three
long putts from an average of about 25 feet. The only
stain in his almost flawless score card was on the
seventh hole, when his five-iron came up short and
missed a par-save from seven feet for a bogey.
“I like
Wack Wack, it suits me well. I hope to sustain my game
in the next three days,” Ichihara told the
BusinessMirror. He is seeking his inaugural Asian Tour
victory and, if he does so, will earn $47,500 (P1.9
million) from the $300,000 total cash prize.
Miñoza
had his bright moments, though. He finished with a
birdie and eight pars in the last nine holes, but the
three bogeys and the disastrous double-bogey on the
par-four No. 8 were lethal to the favorite’s bid for
back-to-back crowns.
A
journeyman for many years now, Magada, 41, figured the
East course would be no pushover during the practice
rounds. When he plunged into play Thursday, he
exercised patience and stayed out of trouble to escape
with a five-under-par 67 and emerge the best-placed
Filipino.
Magada,
the pro from Valley Golf, was a stroke off the Japanese
leader. He made five birdies and an eagle on the
354-yard par-four No. 4.
“Luckily, my putting clicked. Like most players, I had a
difficult time reading the slopes and allowances because
of the lightning-speed condition of the greens,” Magada
said.
The
seven-time champion of the defunct Philip Morris Golf
Tour and other major professional events, momentarily
grabbed the lead after sinking a six-foot birdie from
the fringe of the green on No. 13.
However,
he missed a relatively easy four-foot birdie and had a
bogey when he failed a two-foot par save on the next two
holes that dropped him back to second place.
“I would
be more conservative in the second round tomorrow. An
even par, I think, is my target so I could make the
cut,” Magada said.
Gavin
Flint of
Australia
also turned in a 67 to tie Magada.
“I
played well and made putts today. I started on the back
nine and was at three under. I came home on two under so
it was nice to be playing steady. The birdies on the
last two holes highlighted my round and that’s always a
nice way to finish,” the 26-year-old
Flint said.
Flint is aiming for a better placing this year. He tied for
41st place in 2007. “I am excited to be where I am, so
we’ll see what happens tomorrow,” he said.
Thailand’s
Chawalit Plaphol and Ashley Hall were in joint fourth
with 68s. At sixth was Australian Michael Wright (69)
followed by another Thai, Wisut Artjanawat (70).
Bunched
with 71 each at eighth place were Filipino stars Artemio
Murakami, Marlon Dizon, Tony Lascuna, Young Nam of
Korea, Brad Kennedy of Australia, Chang Tse-peng and Lin
Keng-chi of Chinese Taipei, Atthaphon Prathummanee of
Thailand and Ben Leong of Malaysia.
Pro-Am
winners
ENGLISHMAN Chris Rodgers shot a four-under 68 and then
teamed up with amateurs Tootsie de Jesus, Joanna Lim and
Sammy Sy, who combined for 131 to win the Pro-Am
competition Wednesday.
Thai
Chawalit Plaphol and teammates Raffy Mapua, Buddy Velayo
and Vic Guzman placed second with 134, Australian Scott
Barr, lawyer Gaby Villareal, Hedy See and Marge Tan were
third. |
