LAUREL, Batangas — Foreign players continued to dominate the leaderboard after two rounds of the Philippine Golf Tour Q-School, with South Korea’s Lee Song seizing control at the challenging Splendido course on Wednesday.
Lee recovered from an early stumble to card a one-over-par 73, posting a 36-hole total of 140 to move two shots clear of Filipino-American Ivan Yabut, who slipped with a 75 after sharing the first-round lead.
“I didn’t start off too well,” Lee said after dropping three shots early in his round. “There was no pressure at all. I just need to remain focused in the last two rounds.”
Lee bounced back on the front nine with three birdies in a four-hole stretch before a late bogey, finishing with a 39-34 card to stay on top.
Eric Gallardo also fired a 73 to sit three shots behind heading into the third round, while South Korea’s Youn Hyun-jin surged into a tie for fourth after a tournament-best 69 alongside Japan’s Yoshizawa Ichiru, who shot a 71.
Meanwhile, Ivan Monsalve and Davao native Kuresh Samanodi fell back after posting 77s, dropping nine strokes off the lead.
A total of 63 players advanced to the final two rounds at 11-over-par 155, where they will compete for the top 30 spots that grant full tour status for the season. Among those making the cut were former national champions Jobim Carlos and Anthony Fernando.
The final rounds resume Thursday, with Lee aiming to hold off a tightly packed field on one of the tour’s most demanding layouts.