Jet Hernandez and young Lisa Sarines stayed hot and unrelenting yesterday, opening up huge leads in their respective divisions in the NGAP’s National Strokeplay Championship at the Pradera Verde in Lubao, Pampanga.
The 21-year-old Hernandez gunned down 10 birdies in submitting a second straight seven-under-par 65 to now lead Rolando Bregente by a whopping 12 shots at the halfway mark of the men’s division, while the 14-year-old Sarines matched par in a trying day at the Pinatubo layout for a 142 and a seven-shot lead over Tashanah Balangauan.
With the weather clearing somewhat, men’s scoring was a little lower compared to the first round, but Hernandez did not in any way cool off as he opened birdie-birdie and finished the same way for another effort no one in the field even came close to matching.
Hernandez said he will come out for the next two days with the same mindset as he did in Day 1.
‘There are still two rounds to be played,’ the psychology senior at University of Denver said. ‘I will have the same mindset, the same goals and will stay in the present and stay calm.’
Chris Remata, also a member of the national men’s pool like Hernandez and Bregente, fired a 72, and Jed Dy returned a 71 to be a stroke behind Bregente and well within range of a podium finish even as Vito Sarines, the 13-year-old who started the day in second spot seven shots behind, skied to a 78 to now be 20 strokes off the pace.
Also in the mix for a top three finish are Paolo Barro and Emilio Hernandez, who fired a 74 and 75.