Song reclaims 2-shot lead in wild shootout

LAUREL, Batangas – The third round of the Philippine Golf Tour Qualifying School turned into a gripping, daylong duel under punishing heat and swirling winds at Splendido Taal Golf Club on Thursday, as Lee Song, Ivan Yabut and Enrico Gallardo battled as if a championship itself hung in the balance.

With gusts testing every swing and nerves stretched to the limit, the trio traded leads in a relentless back-and-forth that saw momentum shift by the hole. It was less a qualifying round and more a war of attrition — where composure proved just as vital as shot-making.

When the dust finally settled, the Korean wrested back control, Gallardo stood firm under pressure, and Yabut faltered in a wild, nerve-wracking finish.

Song fought through a roller-coaster 73 to retain a two-stroke lead at 213, surviving a series of swings that would have unraveled lesser players — and the unforgiving conditions. He came out firing with back-to-back birdies, stumbled with a bogey, recovered, then stumbled again — his round mirroring the chaos around him.

A costly miscue from a fairway bunker on No. 11 led to a double bogey that briefly cost him the lead, and another error on No. 14 dropped him further back. But when it mattered most, he steadied himself, birdieing the 15th as his rivals cracked under pressure to reclaim the top spot — despite a closing-hole miscue.

“My first two holes were really the only highlights of my round,” said Song. “After that, it was a struggle. On No. 11, I couldn’t get out of the bunker cleanly — it was too steep — and I even missed a short putt (1 meter) for bogey.”

Yabut looked ready to seize control. After an opening bogey, he bounced back with an eagle on No. 2 and birdies on Nos. 5 and 6 against a bogey on the fourth, showcasing both firepower and resilience. He surged ahead when Song faltered on the back nine, but the lead proved fragile.

A double bogey on No. 14 halted his charge, and a closing bogey-double bogey stretch led to a 74, dropping him to joint fourth at 216.

“I pushed my tee shot to the right and tried to hit a cut 7-wood around the trees,” said Yabut. “But I double-crossed it, hooked the ball, and ended up three-putting.”

He compounded the damage with another errant drive on the 18th, failing to save bogey to close with another six.

Gallardo mounted his own charge, stringing together four birdies against a lone bogey on the front nine to move within striking distance. But the demanding conditions refused to relent. A missed opportunity on No. 10 and a bogey on the next hole stalled his momentum, while late bogeys underscored the mounting pressure.

Still, his 72 lifted him into a tie for second at 215 with Bobe Salahog, who earlier sizzled with a four-birdie run over six holes from No. 11 before likewise faltering with back-to-back bogeys to close with a 70.

Charles Lee threatened to storm into contention, turning in a 32 on the front and adding three birdies in the first four holes on the back to reach seven-under. But a double bogey on No. 15 halted his charge, and he settled for a 67, tying Yabut for fourth alongside Ryoto Furuya, who carded a second straight 70 highlighted by four birdies but marred by a double bogey.

Kuresh Samanodi also rallied with a 70 to join Hyun Jin Youn, who struggled with a 75, at 219. Miki Ryoma stood at 220 after a 74, while Daiya Suzuki (73) and Son Junghyeon (74) shared 10th place at 221.

While no official title is at stake in the 72-hole qualifier organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., the intensity suggests otherwise. Pride, momentum and precious playing rights are all on the line, with only the top 30 earning spots for the PGT’s new season.

Also in the hunt for coveted tour cards are John Michael Uy (72), Boni Salahog Jr. (74) and Yudai Nakakuki (77) at 222; Kashihara Hirotaka (70), Nakajima Hikaru (73) and Ivan Monsalve (74) at 223; and Jonas Magcalayo (73) and Makoto Iwasaki (74) at 224.

With one round left, the battle lines are drawn — not just for survival, but for supremacy.