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Rates hangs on as Van der Valk, Jahns make move

FUMBLING with a bogey-marred frontside finish that enabled two strong rivals to pull within, Joenard Rates kept his cool in tepid conditions and birdied the last two holes to rescue a 71 but he barely held on to a one-stroke lead over a fast-charging Guido van der Valk halfway through the ICTSI Villamor Philippine Masters at the Villamor Golf Club on Thursday.

That he did it while trying to withstand the pressure to deliver in the face of van der Valk and Keanu Jahns’ strong charges in separate flights spoke well of the caliber of the player who pounded the flat but tricky layout with a 65 Wednesday but had appeared to have cracked with three bogeys in the first five holes at the front after a backside 34 start.

But short in length, the 5-foot-3 Rates never ran out of brilliance – and fighting spirit, coming through with a couple of clutch shots that set up birdie putts on Nos.

8 and 9 as he salvaged a one-under card for a 36-hole aggregate of eight-under 136.

“I hit errant drives and had a couple of mishits at the front,” said Rates, who went nine-under overall with birdies on Nos. 14 and 17 but yielded strokes on Nos. 2, 3 and 5 to enable van der Valk and Jahns to close in with their respective low rounds.

Van der Valk put himself back in title contention after missing the cut at Luisita with a 137, matching Rates’ closing birdies at the front for a 67 after a 70, while Jahns, seeking to complete an unfinished business on this military layout after losing the inaugural Match Play Invitational crown to absentee Tony Lascuña last November, mounted his own charge with his version of a solid fiveunder card after a 71 for third at 138.

The troika thus set up a shootout in moving day with Rates vowing to stay cool and relaxed, Jahns sticking to his game plan and routine and van der Valk tipped to rely on his accuracy and consistency.

“Going to the last three holes, I told myself that I need to gain at least a stroke to save an even-par round. I played relaxed and made the most of my (birdie) chances. But there are still two days left, so the plan is to hit the fairways and greens and make the putts,” said Rates, seeking to end a five-year title spell in the circuit put up by ICTSI.

While a host of others remained four strokes behind or farther back the two-day leader, a spirited third round chase looms with Jhonnel Ababa pooling a 140 for fourth after a 71, Marvin Dumandan and Rolando Marabe, Jr. matching outputs for the second straight day (70) for 141s, and amateur Gary Sales bouncing back with a 70 for a 142.

Art Arbole also fired a 71 to tie Jay Bayron, who matched par 72, at 143 while Gerald Rosales fumbled with a 73 to slip to joint 10th at 144 with Reymon Jaraula, Japanese Toru Nakajima and Nilo Salahog, who all carded 74s.

Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez

Vaughn Cabrera, and Jerlin Raumei Valencia for Swimming; Maxine Rose Aquino, Arielle Charmaine Carreon, Charlize Amerieh Gozun, Krizia Nicole Mariano, Maria Michaela Santos, Ma. Juliana Turla, Nina Angea Berces, Svetlana Crystal Joan Cayanan, Railee Kitchie Lobo, Eshana Rose Nunag, and Maria Kristien Dawn Silos for Volleyball. Ethaniel Santos, Eiron Nallatan, Ijurly Archie Bautista, Aleny Therese Lopez, Ralf Aldhjren Fabian, Hanzson Manlutac, Rhafael Topacio, Santiago, Legaspi, and Calahan for ParaGames; Jhazz Mark Castillo, Alwin Cayzer David and Lebron James Pangilinan for Arnis; Ivan Zigmond Villanueva for Taekwondo; Bianca Valerio for Athletics; Sean Luis Tria, Liam Jacob David, Julian Willems, Shawn Matthew Tria, and Aquino for Swimming took home silver medals.

ACTRESS Beauty Gonzalez will portray the role of Tolome’s (character played by Senator Bong Revilla) wife in a weekly program, Walang Matigas Na Pulis Sa Matinik Na Misis, which will air starting on June 4. And according to Representative Lani Mercado of Cavite 2nd District, Beauty was her personal choice to star opposite her husband.

Lani played the same role in the film Walang Matigas Na Pulis Sa Matinik Na Misis (1994), as well as its sequel Yes

Darling: Walang Matigas Na Pulis… 2 (1997). In an intimate event with the showbiz press, where veteran columnist and talent manager Lolit Solis celebrated her 75th birthday, the couple arrived and graciously accommodate interviews.

“I said, ‘You know, there’s a different touch when it’s Bisaya.’ We have friends like that. I am amazed when I see a Bisaya wife, being assertive and speaking up. I find it amusing. I am amused. I say, ‘Oh! It’s nice to have a Bisaya partner for Sen,” Lani shared.

“And we have many Bisaya fans who can relate to that. So if Bisaya wives have

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