Carl Corpus made an emphatic return to the Philippine Golf Tour, using a late birdie barrage to card a five-under-par 67 and force a three-way tie for the lead with Zanieboy Gialon and Russell Bautista as the ICTSI Pradera Verde Championship erupted into a low-scoring shootout at Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club’s Arayat course in Lubao, Pampanga on Tuesday.

After last week’s demanding test at Pinewoods Golf Club, where the mountain layout forced players to temper their aggression, the tour presented an entirely different challenge. The expansive, wide-open Arayat course invited players to unleash their drivers, and with the usually troublesome wind absent during the morning wave, competitors wasted little time attacking flags despite the sweltering heat.

The result was a flurry of under-par rounds, with power hitters and shot-makers taking full advantage of the receptive scoring conditions in the fourth leg of the 10-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Corpus appeared headed for an ordinary start after opening with a birdie and a bogey on his first two holes. But a birdie on No. 7 ignited a remarkable turnaround as he caught fire with six birdies over a seven-hole stretch, highlighted by five consecutive birdies starting at No. 9. The run transformed an even-par round into one of the tournament’s three best opening efforts.

“I don’t think I did anything differently. The putts just dropped, and I’m fortunate they did,” said Corpus, who struggled to finish tied for 37th at Caliraya Springs before skipping the Pinewoods leg.

He later admitted he initially underestimated the course’s scoring potential.

“At first, I didn’t think the course was scoreable, but after today, I realized that if you stay patient and make your putts, you can definitely score here,” he said.

He also praised the course conditions, particularly the greens.

“The greens are in excellent shape, and I hit my approach shots close,” said Corpus, whose five straight birdies came from an average distance of 12 feet. “I haven’t putted on greens this good in a while, so I was excited to be out there.”

With an early three-way battle taking shape, Corpus said he has no plans to change his approach over the next three rounds.

“The game plan stays the same – be patient, enjoy my game, and give my best on every shot. If the putts drop, they drop,” he said.

Gialon, a former Pradera Verde club professional, appeared poised to match—or even surpass—Corpus after recovering spectacularly from two bogeys over his first five holes with a blistering stretch of seven birdies over the next 10. Drawing on his familiarity with the Mike Singgaran-designed layout, Gialon carved up the course with precision and confidence.

“Yes, being familiar with the course definitely helped. I also have an advantage because I get to play here almost every day,” said Gialon in Filipino.

Despite his shaky start, Gialon quickly regained his rhythm, using his local knowledge to fuel his comeback.

“Even after the two bogeys, I stayed focused. When I birdied No. 6, it gave me confidence, and the birdies just kept coming,” said Gialon.

With calm conditions and plenty of scoring opportunities, Gialon believes the course rewarded aggressive yet calculated play.

“There wasn’t much wind, so the scoring was pretty good, and the par-5s were reachable. I just hope my putting stays sharp, especially my green reading and distance control,” he added.

Meanwhile, Bautista launched his campaign with a blazing start on the back nine, collecting four birdies, including three straight to close out his opening nine. A bogey on the par-3 second briefly slowed his momentum, but he responded with a gritty par save on the par-5 third after his mishit 3-wood on his second shot found the water. He recovered brilliantly by knocking his approach pin-high before converting the par, then birdied Nos. 4 and 6 to join Corpus and Gialon atop the leaderboard.

“It was hot and there was no wind, so staying hydrated was very important to keep my condition up. You also have to be careful on the par-3s because they can be very demanding,” said Bautista in Filipino, who narrowly missed capturing his maiden Philippine Golf Tour title after falling to Jeffren Lumbo in a marathon five-hole playoff at South Pacific last year.

Lurking just one shot behind at 68 were big-hitting Keanu Jahns and Tony Lascuña. Jahns rallied with four birdies over his final seven holes, while Lascuña missed an opportunity to force a four-way tie after a costly mistake on the 16th.

A formidable group of five players—defending champion Angelo Que, Gab Manotoc, Collin Wheeler, Kuresh Samanodi and Lumbo—matched 69s, while Clyde Mondilla and Rupert Zaragosa opened with identical 70s, keeping the leaderboard tightly packed heading into the second round of the P2 million championship.

With the forecast still calling for hot weather and little wind, another day of aggressive scoring could be in store before the course begins to firm up and separate the contenders from the rest of the field.

Lloyd Go, the runaway winner at Pinewoods, birdied two of his first 13 holes but faltered down the stretch, dropping shots on Nos. 15 and 17 to settle for a 72 and a share of 19th place. Unable to recapture the form that fueled his dominant performance in Baguio—where he opened with a 64 and cruised to a commanding 12-shot victory over Lumbo—Go endured a far less convincing opening round.

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