CEBUANO golf ace Charles “Chuckie” Hong struggled mightily during the first round of action in the ICTSI Rancho Palos Verdes Classic and found himself trailing by 11 as he shot in a 73 yesterday at the Rancho Palos Verdes course in Davao.
Hong, the Luisita leg champion, is bunched together in a pack at the back of the field with Cassius Casas, Robert Pactolerin, Solomon Gines, Nelson Huerva, Rolando Marabe and Koreans Thomas Kim and Lee Hyun Woo.
They are all trailing Michael Bibat, who sizzled with a bogey-free eight-under 64 to show up the stellar field, including the favored local aces.
Bibat, long in search of the form that netted him a two-stroke victory over Tony Lascuña and Elmer Salvador in Davao in 2013, finally regained his touch, rhythm and confidence to turn in a career-best round capped by three straight birdies that closed out 31-33 card at the front.
Bibat, who only had one top 10 finish – at ICTSI Anvaya Cove Invitational last May – and had one missed cut after seven legs, set the tone for a low scoring day at the back where he gunned down three birdies from a combination of long and short putts while saving pars twice.