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Guido Van Der Valk. – PHOTO CONTRIBUTION
STA. ROSA, Laguna – Playing calmly in increasingly difficult conditions, Dutchman Guido Van der Valk on Wednesday fired a two-over-par 74 to take a one-shot lead midway through the P6 million The Country Club Invitational.
After hitting four shots in eight holes from No. 9, defending champion Van der Valk birdied the tricky 18th from five feet after a 5-wood approach from 205 yards against a strong wind to take a solitary lead with Clyde. Mondilla remains hot on his heels after 75.
“I was pretty good,” Van der Valk said after a 36-38 effort that also included a birdie on the par-5 second hole for a total of 147. “But I couldn’t convert it to eight feet (for par).”
Starting the day in a tie for four over, Mondilla had a double bogey and three bogeys against just two birdies for 148, still in range to win this tournament for the first time.
Jay Bayron and Jessie Balasabas, the other two who fired 73s on the opening day to show the pace, also lost ground when Bayron fired 76 to get another shot behind, now tied with Zanieboy Gialon and the former champion in Micah Shin, who matched the level. 72s-best for the week so far.
Balasabas, a former PH Masters champion in Villamor, skied to a birdie-less 78 to be four shots behind.
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