Back-to-back chance big for Go after a 67

LJ Go—CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

With six birdies in a hot final 10 holes, LJ Go on Thursday zoomed to the top of the ICTSI Pradera Verde Challenge to be in great position to sweep the only two tournaments he will play this year on the Philippine Golf Tour.

A five-under-par 67 for a 54-hole 208 had the 31-year-old taking a one-shot lead over the dangerous Clyde Mondilla, who had a matching 67, with a three-man group made up of Antonio Lascuña, Randy Garalde and Rupert Zaragosa trailing another shot back.

“Lately I’ve been putting better,” Go, who won at Pinewoods in the chilly summer capital by 12 shots last week, said. “I hit my wedges better and made a lot of long putts on the back nine.

“I have been very patient, and I tried to be steady since the front nine is hard.”

Go has been campaigning overseas and returned to the country last week to play in only two events in an attempt to keep his card for next year and play in the lucrative The Country Club Invitational in February.

Another strong round will most likely have him accomplishing both, though he would need to hold off a lot of chasers, beginning with the long-hitting Mondilla.

Mondilla also had seven birdies in a 34-33 effort, even as Keanu Jahns, the second round leader by three strokes, ballooned to a 75 to now be three shots behind like Angelo Que, the Caliraya stop champion last month who carved out a 70 and is still very much in it.