Golf: Ferdinand Aunzo and partner take 2-stroke lead in Davao Pro-Am opener

Ferdinand Aunzo and amateur partner Monchit Mackay surged to a two-stroke lead after a two-under-par 70 in the alternate-shot format of the first round of the P1 million Davao National Pro-Am at the Apo Golf Club in Davao. Aunzo, who called Apo his home club during his amateur days, and Mackay, combined for birdies on the 15th, 16th and 18th to offset a bogey on the 14th, then added another 36 in the front nine for that 70. Jhonnel Ababa, another Apo baby, and Benjie Leparto carded a 72 to tie the duos of Paul Minoza-Francis Morilla and Albin Engino-Edsel Tan tandems in the 54-hole tournament on second place. Fancied players Antonio Lascuna and Elmer Salvador struggled with over par scores. Lascuna, the local tour’s current Order of Merit leader, never recovered from a bogey-bogey start at the back with Den-Den Castro, hobbling with a 78 from rounds of 38-40. Salvador, winner of two legs on the local circuit, including the Aboitiz Invitational in Cebu last month, failed to get his game going with partner Ryan Gotan and wound up with a 77 from nines of 38-39. Lascuna and Salvador will need to produce low numbers in the second round to get a crack at the P172,000 prize for the professional. Frankie Minoza also sputtered in his tandem with Ting Castillo in the foursomes as they combined for a 76 on two 38s for a share of 16th place. - AMD, GMA News