Quiban’s record 62 sparks scoring frenzy at Lakewood, leads by 4

CABANATUAN City — Justin Quiban unleashed a record 10-under 62, riding a fiery start and an explosive closing stretch to wrest control of the ICTSI Lakewood Championship by four as Lakewood Golf and Country Club succumbed to a relentless birdie-eagle barrage here on Tuesday.

Quiban came out firing and finished with even greater fury, torching the back nine with a scorching run that turned a tightly packed leaderboard into a one-man surge. His late-round eruption — four birdies in the last five holes — not only shattered the course record but also drove a commanding wedge between himself and his nearest pursuers.

“I consider myself more of a ball striker, and on a course like this, everything just clicked,” said Quiban, who is chasing his fourth Philippine Golf Tour title while balancing his schedule between the Asian Tour and the local circuit.

“With the course being relatively wide, I was able to trust my ball striking all day, which really helped me go low,” he added.

Quiban surpassed Reymon Jaraula’s 65 from the tournament’s inaugural staging in 2024, though he remained grounded about the achievement.

“Did I expect to break it? Yes and no. I’ve been working on the right things leading up to this week. I stayed focused on the process and didn’t dwell on expectations for today’s round — and I ended up shooting this low.”

Miki Ryoma turned in a 66, highlighted by a frontside 33, to finish just one stroke behind Quiban, who surged late with a blazing closing stretch at Lakewood to seize a commanding four-stroke advantage.

The Japanese player, who tied for 11th at last week’s PGT Q-School at Splendido Taal, recovered from a one-over start through three holes on the back nine by birdieing four of the next six. He carried that momentum to the front, adding three more birdies while keeping it bogey-free to secure solo second.

“It was a good round. I focused on hitting the green rather than attacking the pin, and that worked well,” Ryoma said. “It’s hot, but it’s similar to Japan, so I’m comfortable.”

Ryan Monsalve eagled both par-5s to move into early contention in the PHP 3 million championship — the opening leg of the 10-event circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. — finishing at 68 alongside Russel Bautista and defending champion Sean Ramos.

Bautista mixed six birdies with two bogeys, while Ramos birdied four of his first 14 holes to position himself for a run at Quiban. A bogey on the par-3 17th briefly stalled his charge, but he bounced back with a closing birdie to stay in the hunt.

A group at 69 included Taewon Ha, Junichi Katayama, Brycen Ko, Lee Song, and Jeffren Lumbo, while Keanu Jahns eagled the eighth on his way to a 70, joining Lloyd Go and Charles Lee in 11th.

Ten players, led by reigning Order of Merit champion Angelo Que, Aidric Chan, and Jaraula, carded 71s, while nine others — bannered by multi-titled veterans Tony Lascuña and Clyde Mondillas — settled for even-par 72.

With a blend of seasoned campaigners, emerging talents, and international contenders in the mix, the stage is set for a sustained shootout over the next three days.

But it’s Quiban’s explosive start and blistering finish that set the pace.

Quiban was in complete control throughout, repeatedly setting up birdie chances within 8 to 10 feet and converting efficiently, including several tap-ins. “I hit it pretty close for birdies. The greens are tricky to read, so it’s not easy to make 20-footers,” he noted.

Taking advantage of calm conditions and a course ripe for scoring, Quiban came out blazing with birdies on the first two holes, adding three more over the next six. A bogey on the ninth briefly slowed his momentum, but he quickly regained form, opening his back nine with consecutive birdies and adding three more from No. 14 onward. He capped his round with another birdie on the par-5 18th, finishing with a 32-30 card.

His round featured four tap-in birdies, highlighting a performance built on precision and control — virtually turning the course into target golf.