Keanu Jahns capitalized on another scoring opportunity at Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club, carding a second straight four-under 68 to seize control of the ICTSI Pradera Verde Championship and open a three-shot lead over Tony Lascuña at the halfway mark on Wednesday in Lubao, Pampanga.
Not even a late-afternoon downpour, accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms that forced a one-hour suspension of play, could derail Jahns’ charge to the top of the leaderboard. He calmly closed with four consecutive pars for matching 34s and a 36-hole total of 136 in a round that began under sweltering heat and ended in stormy conditions.
“My ball-striking was much better today. I hit more greens, made the same number of putts and cut my bogeys down to just one after making three in the opening round,” said Jahns.
He added that his length off the tee has been a major advantage on the wide layout, but stressed that his smart-aggressive approach has been just as important.
“Power is a big advantage here because the course is wide and suits longer hitters. I play smart-aggressive, and it fits my game,” he said.
Jahns carried the momentum from his stirring finish in Tuesday’s opening round, when he birdied four of his last seven holes, into another impressive performance. Starting from the back nine, he birdied four of his first 12 holes while remaining composed despite the oppressive heat and demanding pin placements on Pradera Verde’s slick, undulating greens.
After a lone bogey on the fourth, he immediately bounced back with a birdie on the next hole before closing with four gritty pars despite the weather interruption.
Jahns was pleased with how he finished the round, although he believed he could have posted an even lower score.
“I missed a few short putts, but they were more misreads than bad strokes. The greens are a little tricky to read,” he said.
Beyond taking command of the P2 million fourth leg of the Philippine Golf Tour, Jahns is driven by a desire for redemption.
After letting a golden opportunity slip away at Caliraya Springs, where a costly mistake on a single hole derailed his title bid, Jahns struggled to recover at Pinewoods, finishing in a tie for 28th. Those disappointing results, however, only strengthened his resolve.
Now back in contention, the long-hitting Fil-German is determined to finish what he started.
“I’m always motivated. I love competing, so I’ll just take it one shot at a time and hope for the best,” Jahns said.
Still, the tournament remains far from over.
With 36 holes left to play, Jahns may enjoy a comfortable cushion, but Pradera Verde has already shown it can humble even the hottest player. The demanding layout rewards smart course management as much as power, making precision, patience and sound decision-making just as crucial as length off the tee.
Lascuña relied on a superb short game and steady putting to compensate for his lack of distance, firing a 71 to move into solo second at 139, just three shots behind Jahns and well within striking distance.
Despite the difficult conditions, the veteran remained optimistic about his chances.
“The course is very tough, especially with the pin placements and the greens. But I’m still in the fight. I’m hoping to stay within striking distance tomorrow and give myself a chance on Friday,” said Lascuña in Filipino, who narrowly lost to Angelo Que by one stroke in a dramatic final-round duel at Caliraya Springs.
Five birdies highlighted his round, including a three-birdie run beginning on No. 9 that mirrored his opening-round effort and underscored his mastery of the turn.
Behind the leaders, first-round co-leader Rupert Zaragosa Corpus matched Jahns with birdies on Nos. 10 and 12 to stay in contention before stumbling with bogeys on Nos. 15 and 18. A birdie on No. 1 briefly reignited his charge, but a costly double bogey on the ninth led to a one-over 73, dropping him into a tie for third at 140 alongside fellow first-round co-leader Russell Bautista, who also struggled to a 73.
Fresh off his dominant victory at Pinewoods, Lloyd Go bounced back from an opening-round 72 with a blistering back-nine 32 but settled for a three-under 69 after a bogey on No. 2. At 141, he shared fifth place with Ira Alido and Albin Engino, who both shot 70s, and Gab Manotoc, Collin Wheeler and defending Pradera Verde-Pinatubo champion Angelo Que, who all carded even-par 72s.
Zanieboy Gialon, another opening-round co-leader after a 67, slipped with a 74 marred by a double bogey on the par-3 eighth, falling into the group at three-under overall.
Forty-two players advanced to the weekend after making the cut at 150, including James Ryan Lam (75), John Michael Uy (76), Jobim Carlos (78), and amateur Jed Dy (75).
Despite the absence of the strong winds that often define the challenge at the sprawling complex, the Arayat course once again proved it could stand on its own as a formidable test. Any notion that the layout would become vulnerable without its usual gusts was quickly dispelled as its maze of bunkers, firm fairways, and slick greens continued to demand precision from tee to green.
After yielding 18 under-par rounds on opening day, the course tightened its grip in the second round, with only 13 players finishing below par. Arayat’s exacting layout placed a premium on shot-making, pinpoint iron play, and confident putting, underscoring that even in calm conditions, it remains one of the toughest tests on the Philippine Golf Tour.
