Magada, Minoza
carry fight for Pinoys

BY NOLI CORTEZ

FRANKIE Minoza has been playing golf for so long that he should be used by now to all its quirks and other idiosyncrasies. Wrong.

Despite claiming his game yesterday was not as good as the day before, the Filipino golfing icon came up with a sizzling five-under 67 to seriously threaten the leaders of the 91st Philippine Open at the Wack Wack East course.

Lone Chinese entry Lian Wen-chong continued to display fine form and seized solo leadership with a 69 and seven-under 137 total while Australian Neven Basic, an Open first-timer, also shot 67 to lie just a stroke back.

Even Benjie Magada, whose past Open stints are self-admittedly all forgettable, came in with a late-afternoon 68 that put him at third halfway through the tournament serving as the third leg of the Asian Tour.

Yet a lion’s share of the focus lies on Minoza after he came up with 140 that put him at joint fourth, notwithstanding the round that he himself could not explain.

"Kahapon maganda ang palo, di ang score. Ngayon masama palo, maganda ang score," said the 1998 winner who opened his bid for a second Open crown with a 73 Thursday. "Pero ganyan naman talaga, kaya nga tinatawag na crazy game ang golf."

To underscore his perplexity, Minoza interlaced his nines of 36-31 with three birdies and as many bogeys on the way out before draining five straight birdies from No. 12 on his way in.

"Masaya na rin ako dahil nasa contention pa. Two days pa naman. Marami pang mangyayari," said the 47-year-old.

Not wanting to look that far ahead was Magada, who was amazed at his card that featured a bogey-free back nine laced by four birdies in five holes. He could have done better, but his birdie putt from the fringe just barely grazed the cup on No. 9.

"Natsambahan lang," said the 40-year-old Romblon native who turned pro in 1992. He had racked up seven local victories since, but has had a string of Open jinxes, including missing the cut last year.

"Natiyempo lang na maganda ang drive at putting kaya gumanda na buong laro," he added.

Lian, who also started on the back nine like Magada, remained unperturbed like Minoza following a double bogey on his third hole–the No. 12–that negated back-to-back birdies from No. 10.

The 28-year-old racked up four more birdies from the 13th and remained at three-under following birdies at Nos. 5 and 8 that offset his bogeys at Nos. 2 and 9.

"I just played my game, stayed focused despite that double bogey," said the Zhongshan native, referring to the hole where he made a rare errant tee shot and needed four shots just to get to the green.

He also refused to look ahead into the weekend play and the $47,550 champion’s purse in the $300,000 tournament mainly sponsored by the First Gentleman’s Foundation, ICTSI and Srixon.

"I don’t want to think about winning. I prefer to take it one step at a time," added Lian.

Composure is indeed needed if Lian hopes to fend off the challenge of a host of pursuers that include past champions Rick Gibson (2002) who shot 70 for 141 and Anthony Kang (1999) who had 74 for 142.

Carito Villaroman and Jay Bayron, who carried the brunt for the home bets by grabbing a share of the first round lead, faltered on a day that started overcast but turned sunlit and windy as the round wore on.

"Masama ang irons," said Villaroman, whose woes were compounded by a triple bogey-7 on No. 11 following a bad drive and second shot that sent his ball into a stymie. "Kundi sa 7 na iyon, mas nasa striking distance pa sana."

Despite being rattled no end, Villaroman still wound up with 75 that put him at 143 in a tie with compatriots Cookie Lao (70), amateur Tonton Asistio (68), Artemio Murakami (72) and 2000 winner Gerlad Rosales (70).

Only slightly better off was Bayron, the reigning national amateur champion who shot 74 for inclusion in the group at 142.